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This paper analyzes the dynamics of structural polarization and macroeconomic divergence in the context of European integration, where the latter is primarily understood as an increase in economic and financial openness. In the process of estimating the dynamic effects of such an openness shock on 26 EU countries, we develop a taxonomy of European economies that consists of four groups: core, periphery, and catching-up countries in Eastern Europe as well as financial hubs. We show that these four country groups have responded in a distinct way to the openness shock imposed by European integration and argue that the latter should be seen as an evolutionary process that has given rise to different path-dependent developmental trajectories. These trajectories are linked to the sectoral development of European economies and the evolution of their technological capabilities. We propose a set of interrelated policy measures to counteract structural polarization and to promote macroeconomic convergence in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aridity index, also known as the Budyko index, describes spatiotemporal changes in the hydroclimatic system in the long-term perspective. Defined as the ratio between potential evapotranspiration and precipitation, it can be used to determine wet (humid) and dry (arid) regions. In this study, we evaluated the aridity index estimated in different temporal scales, investigated its spatial patterns, and highlighted the long-term changes in Europe using three gridded data sets (CRU, E–OBS, and ERA5). A significant dry region expansion is evident in all data sets since the late 1980s. The extent of the dry regions has increased in Western, Central, and Eastern Europe, especially at low and medium altitudes. The results show the long-term development of the European hydroclimatic system and which areas have changed from wet to dry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the population of Europe grows older, one crucial issue is how the incidence and prevalence of disabilities are developing over time in the older population. In this study, we compare cohort-specific disability trajectories in old age across subsequent birth cohorts in Europe, during the period 2004–2017.We used data from seven waves of data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Mixed effects logistic regression models were used to model trajectories of accumulation of ADL limitations for subsequent birth cohorts of older women and men in different European regions. The results showed that there were sex differences in ADL and IADL limitations in all regions for most cohorts. Women reported more limitations than men, particularly in Eastern and Southern rather than Northern and Western Europe. Among men in Eastern, Northern and Western Europe, later born cohorts reported more disabilities than did earlier born birth cohorts at the same ages. Similar patterns were observed for women in Northern and Western Europe. In contrast, the risk of disabilities was lower in later born cohorts than in earlier born birth cohorts among women in Eastern Europe. Overall, results from this study suggest that disability trajectories in different cohorts of men and women were by and large similar across Europe. The trajectories varied more depending on sex, age and region than depending on cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a detailed and overarching illustration of the contribution of smoking to sex differences in life expectancy at birth (e0) in Europe, focusing on changes over time and differences between both European countries and European regions. For this purpose, the sex difference in e0 for 31 European countries over the 1950–2014 period was decomposed into a smoking- and a non-smoking-related part, using all-cause mortality data and indirectly estimated smoking-attributable mortality rates by age and sex, and a formal decomposition analysis. It was found that smoking-attributable mortality contributed, on average, 3 years (43.5%) to the 7-year life expectancy difference between women and men in 2014. This contribution, was largest in 1995, at 5.2 out of 9.0 years, and subsequently declined in parallel with the average sex difference in life expectancy. The average contribution of smoking-attributable mortality was especially large in North-Western Europe around 1975; in Southern Europe around 1985; and in Eastern Europe around 1990–1995, when smoking-attributable mortality reached maximum levels among men, but was still low among women. The observed parallel decline from 1995 onwards in the sex differences in e0 and the absolute contribution of smoking to this sex difference suggests that this recent decline in the sex difference in e0 can be almost fully explained by historical changes in sex differences in smoking, and, consequently, smoking-attributable mortality. In line with the progression of the smoking epidemic, the sex differences in life expectancy in Europe are expected to further decline in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women experience greater longevity than men, but have poorer health, although sex differences vary across health measures and geographical regions. We aim to examine sex differences in Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) over age across European regions in a cross-sectional setting including 51,292 men and 62,007 women aged 50+ from a pooled sample of waves 1 (2004–2005) to 6 (2015) in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. ADL and IADL were dichotomised into no limitations and at least one limitation. Binomial regression models were used to estimate absolute and relative sex differences. Women had higher risk than men of ADL limitations (RR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.16; 1.27) and IADL limitations (RR = 1.54, 95% CI 1.48; 1.60), corresponding to risk differences of 1.3% and 5.7%, respectively. When we stratified by age groups and regions, sex differences in ADL were found in all age groups in Southern Europe, in the age groups 65–79 years and 80+ years in Western and Eastern Europe, and from the age of 80 in Northern Europe. For IADL, sex differences were found in all age groups in the four European regions, except from ages 50–64 in Eastern Europe. The absolute sex differences increased with age in all European regions. In conclusion, our results lend support for the male–female health survival paradox by showing that European women have higher risk of ADL and IADL limitations than European men and that sex differences increase with advancing age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: With better access to early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, cervical cancer (CC) burden decreased in several European countries. In Eastern European (EE) countries, which accessed European Union in 2004, CC survival was worse than in the rest of Europe. The present study investigates CC survival differences across five European regions, considering stage at diagnosis (local, regional and metastatic), morphology (mainly squamous versus glandular tumours) and patients' age.Methods: We analysed 101,714 CC women diagnosed in 2000-2007 and followed-up to December 2008. Age-standardised 5-year relative survival (RS) and the excess risks of cancer death in the 5 years after diagnosis were computed.Results: EE women were older and less commonly diagnosed with glandular tumours. Proportions of local stage cancers were similar across Europe, while morphology- and stage-specific RS (especially for non-metastatic disease) were lower in Eastern Europe. Adjusting for age and morphology, excess risk of local stage CC death for EE patients remained higher than that for other European women.Conclusion: Stage, age and morphology alone do not explain worse survival in Eastern Europe: less effective care may play a role, probably partly due to fewer or inadequate resources being allocated to health care in this area, compared to the rest of Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]