For the last several years, Greece has been going through a protracted and damaging economic crisis that has had profound consequences on the health of the Greek people. The economic crisis has predominantly impacted the health of vulnerable populations with a rise in suicides and deaths due to mental and behavioral disorders.
Although other European countries such as Portugal, Italy, Ireland, and Spain have also experienced economic upheavals, the continuous downturn in Greece’s economy has had a more profound effect than in the other countries with a similar situation. As one Greek friend recently told me, “Greece is like an elevator that only goes down….”
Rather than promoting more protection for the poor in critical situations, the “Troika” (European Commission, European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund) has forced the Greek government to adopt austerity policies that will inevitably lead to reduced access to basic human services, particularly among the poor.
