Direct and Indirect Management Models in Public Health in the Framework of Mental Health

This article analyzes the relationship between per capita expenditure and financial and macroeconomic variables in the framework of mental health, in regions where the prevailing system is public healthcare governed by the state and in regions where the prevailing system is that of public ownership. The period 2006–2017 was analyzed. A simple linear regression analysis was carried out to determine the relationship between the expenditure per inhabitant and a series of relevant variables such as asset turnover, cash flow, and expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP), applying statistical tests to validate the study. In regions where public–private co-financing prevails in the health system, two crucial variables to measure per capita expenditure on mental health were GDP per capita and cash flow of mental health providers. In the regions where management is direct, the crucial variables were asset turnover of mental health providers and expenditure on mental health as a percentage of GDP per capita. These elements are key to determining how to develop public investment policies in hospital systems in the different regions of Europe and the world.