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Page 1 of 15 Socio- demographic Overview and Legal Aspects
The Republic of Austria is a federation composed of nine federal states, or provinces, on the basis of a parliamentary democracy. A member of the United Nations and many other agencies, among these the World Health Organization, the country joined the European Union in 1995.
Life expectancy has improved considerably in Austria, as it has in all EU- countries. In the year 2004, it was 76.4 years for men and 82.1 years for women. Life expectancy is predicted to rise to 80.2 years for men and to 85.6 years for women by the year 2030.
Since 1992 the average birth rate per woman in Austria has been less than 1.5, and the 2003 rate of 1.4 was below the EU-average of 1.5 (Source: Eurostat). On a long term scale, it would be necessary for each woman to bear 2.1 children to maintain the population at its current level.
One of the biggest challenges to social and health policy in the coming years will be the greater-than-average increase in the number of elderly and very old people. People over the age of 60 currently total about 1.8 million. In the year 2015, this figure will have already reached about 2.05 million and will grow to 2.7 million by the year 2030. At the same time, the age-group comprised of those 15 to 59 will shrink constantly.
General legal aspects
The safeguarding of health is a function of government in Austria. Although the public health services are a federal matter in terms of legislation and execution, the responsibilities necessary for this purpose do not lie exclusively in the hands of the Federal Ministry of Health, Family and Youth.
Important responsibilities are also assumed by
various ministries at the federal level,
provinces and municipalities, and the
social security institutions as self-administrated public corporations.
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