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System of Health Accounts (SHA) 2019

GDP share of health and medical care was 11.5 percent

Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2022-03-31 8.00

In 2020, health and medical care comprised 11.5 percent of GDP. General government financed 86 percent of the total costs, while households paid 13 percent of the total costs via patient fees and other fees.

Increase in the GDP share of health and medical care

The GDP share of health and medical care increased in 2020 compared with previous years. Between 2012 and 2019, the share of GDP was between 10.7 and 10.9, while in 2020 it was 11.5 percent. Total current health expenditure increased by 4.8 percent compared with last year.

Main areas of health and medical care

Health and medical care costs can be classified into seven main areas. Curative and rehabilitative care account for over half of all the costs. Health and medical care concerning care for the elderly and persons with disabilities accounts for one fourth of the health and medical care sector. Nursing costs are also included in these costs. The third largest item is costs of pharmaceuticals for outpatients.

Definitions and explanations

The Health Accounts are based on the concepts in the National Accounts. All costs for health and medical care are presented in a three-axis system based on the function, financier and producer. Data is only available in current prices.

Statistics Sweden has presented Health Accounts since 2008. The data is presented according to the manual A System of Health Accounts 2011 (SHA 2011), which is common to the OECD, Eurostat and the WHO.

Data is presented for the years 2001–2020, but the period 2001–2010 is not completely comparable with the period 2011–2020, which means there is a break in the time series. This break in the time series refers to the area health and medical care within care for the elderly and persons with disabilities.

Next publishing will be

The next statistical news is scheduled for publication in 2023.

Statistical Database

More information is available in the Statistical Database

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Statistical agency and producer

Statistics Sweden

Enquiries

Fredrik Nilsson

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E-mail
fredrik.nilsson@scb.se