The table provides a comparative analysis of three key indicators of medical care in Austria, France, and Sweden across three decades, specifically in 1980, 1990, and 2000.
Overall, the data indicates a general trend towards increased hospital resources, with the number of beds showing growth in most nations. Crucially, Sweden consistently maintained the highest number of beds and the longest average stay, while France saw the most significant reduction in the average duration of hospital stays.
Regarding the number of physicians per 1,000 people, Sweden reported the highest figures, rising marginally from 3.6 to 3.8 over the period. Austria also saw a slight, steady increase from 0.8 to 1. In contrast, France experienced a notable decline, starting at 2.4 doctors per 1,000 people and plummeting to 1.3 by 2000. Focusing on hospital beds, Sweden’s high rate remained remarkably stable (around 6.4 to 6.9). Both Austria and France saw a substantial increase, with Austria’s rate rising from 1.4 to 3.7, and France’s rate jumping eight-fold, from 0.2 to 1.6.
Turning to the average length of stay, the general trend was downward. France showed the most dramatic drop, falling from 9 days in 1980 to just 5 days in 2000. Sweden had the longest stays in both years (23 and 21 days), reflecting its high number of beds. Austria’s data was volatile, falling sharply from 18 days in 1980 to 6 days in 1990 before reverting to the original figure of 18 days in 2000.