In 2021, the EU recorded a significant increase in public and private spending on preventive care, accounting for 6.0% of total health expenditure. This was a substantial jump from the 2.9% and 3.5% recorded in previous years, largely due to the implementation of preventive care measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including immunization programs such as vaccination campaigns that began in 2021. The primary goal of preventive care is to reduce the occurrence of injuries, diseases, and their associated complications and consequences.
Among EU countries, Austria, Denmark, and the Netherlands had the highest proportions of preventive care expenditure as a percentage of total health spending, with figures of 10.3%, 8.9%, and 8.7% respectively. In contrast, Malta, Slovakia, and Poland had the lowest shares at 1.2%, 1.6%, and 2.1% respectively.
In terms of per capita expenditure on preventive care, Austria had the highest amount spent per inhabitant at €566.4, followed by Denmark at €555.1 and the Netherlands at €476.9. On the other hand, Poland, Slovakia, and Bulgaria had the lowest per capita expenditures on preventive care at €20.6, €23
