Frontiers in Public Health
The role of voluntary health insurance in frailty onset and progression among older and aging European adults: a survival analysis, 2013–2022
Background Frailty is a syndrome characterized by physiological decline and increased vulnerability to adverse health outcomes, including disability, hospitalization, and mortality In Europe, 5.8–27.3% of those aged ≥65 is frail, and up to 50.9% is pre-frail. With an aging population, and cuts to public health spending, erosion of universal health coverage is becoming more evident in European Health Systems. As a result, voluntary health insurance (VHI) is becoming more common, offering faster access and reduced ou …