Significant Regional Differences in Lung Cancer Incidence in Hungary: Epidemiological Study Between 2011 and 2016

Objective: Hungary has one of the highest incidences and mortality rates of lung cancer (LC), therefore the objective of this study was to analyse and compare LC incidence and mortality rates between the main Hungarian regions.Methods: This nationwide, retrospective study used data from the National Health Insurance Fund and included patients aged ≥20 years who were diagnosed with lung cancer (ICD-10 C34) between Jan 1, 2011 and Dec 31, 2016. Age-standardized incidence and mortality rates were calculated and compared for the main regions.Results: The highest incidence rate in males was recorded in Northern Hungary (146.8/100,000 person-years [PY]), while the lowest rate was found in Western Transdanubia (94.7/100,000 PY in 2011). All rates showed a declining trend between 2011 and 2016, with the largest decrease in the Northern Great Plain (−20.0%; p = 0.008). LC incidence and mortality rates in women both showed a rising tendency in all regions of Hungary, reaching the highest in Central Hungary (59.86/100,000 PY in 2016). Lung cancer incidence and mortality rates in males correlated with the level of education and smoking prevalence (p = 0.006 and p = 0.01, respectively) in the regions. A correlation with GDP per capita and Health Development Index (HDI) index could also be observed in the Hungarian regions, although these associations were not statistically significant. No correlations could be detected between these parameters among females.Conclusion: This analysis revealed considerable differences in the epidemiology of LC between the 7 main Hungarian regions. LC incidence and mortality rates significantly correlated with smoking and certain socioeconomic factors in men, but not in women. Further research is needed to explain the regional differences.

The wellness habits of men and women in the Northern Great Plain Region

In the past decades, the harmony of body and soul was getting more and more important,the balance, the self-confidence, and the positive-being, which is supported mostly by health tourism,so this section is improving with huge steps to serve the increasing needs fluently. For the effect of the consecutive social changes, the rules of genders have also changed. At the same time changes could be realized in the consumption habits of different genders. The resource took place from September to December 2018. It happened with a questionnaire survey; we asked the customers of hotels in the Northern Great Plain Region, and the answering was optional – they do it on their own choice. We investigated the participants' data through different dimensions and look for the answer to the question along these dimensions that which specifies had the service customers.

Data envelopment analysis for measuring performance in a competitive market

In today’s increasingly competitive markets, it is essential to be able to determine the position of a company as opposed to its competitors. Today the traditional financial ratios are most widely used to measure corporate performance, but more and more authors begin to criticize their use. It is difficult to use financial ratios as a complex measurement tool. It is crucial to use an appropriate method or tool to measure corporate performance, which can measure the company’s performance in a complex way represented by one indicator. In this study, the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method is used, which is one of the potential tools available. Several researchers have used the DEA method to measure corporate performance. Many authors consider DEA as a useful tool for measuring corporate performance, while others criticize it. The authors analyze the performance of retail food companies in Hungary’s Northern Great Plain region. The companies analyzed were chosen from the region investigated, and they have “food retail grocery store” as their main activity, and they had six cleared annual reports in the period 2012–2017. There was a total of 887 companies in the region examined, and 563 (63.5%) met the conditions. The analysis was made using the time-series data of companies for 2012–2017 based on their financial reports, and the authors dealt with various possibilities for extending DEA, which can support its more accurate use. Based on evaluating the retail food companies’ performance in the Northern Great Plain region, one can state that the efficiency of companies shows a very mixed picture over the years examined. The study suggests solutions to the indicated problem. The findings indicate that the application of extended DEA methods gives better results; that is, one can get better estimates of the efficiency of companies.

Do better socioeconomic features of population mean more competitive regions?

The objective of the case study was to give an overview of differences between Hungarian regions from the aspect of socioeconomic factors. The paper deals with the distinct situations of NUTS 2 regions in order to get a general view of the country from that angle. Although, that approach is not the most detailed one, it makes possible to easily distinguish the competitive parts of the country. Secondary data were provided by the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) and National Territorial Development and Spatial Planning Information System (TeIR) were used to present the distribution of population by various expositions. Unemployment rate, distribution of educational attainment, population growth, rate of ageing, vitality index, dependency ratio and GDP per capita were calculated and assembled to present the differences. The results are showing clearly, that Central Hungary (HU10), Central Transdanubia (HU21), Western Transdanubia (HU22) are currently competitive. The population of Southern Transdanubia (HU23) and Southern Great Plain (HU33) are aging, but stable from the view of economy related indexes. Northern Hungary (HU31) and Northern Great Plain (HU32) are considered laggards from that aspect, but have a considerable potential because of the age structure of the population. The paper also introduces some national and EU programmes which are meant to mitigate the effects of unfavourable situations.

Regional differences in the economical sustainability of sports halls

The precondition of a health conscious behaviour in a community is establishing a healthy development of the community, an important part of which is the community’s attitude to sports and health. A basic manifestation of this is whether the leadership of a specific settlement is committed to developing sports facilities and, on the other hand, to what extent residents make use of these facilities. The aim of our research was to point out the number of sports facilities currently available for catering everyday physical education introduced in 2012, leisure sports and competitive sport events in two different regions of Hungary. We also examined the resources available for maintaining the facilities and the degree to which existing facilities are exploited. Existing sports halls of the Northern Great Plain and Central Transdanubia were included in the research. We wish to emphasise, in regards to the infrastructural developments of the coming few years, that it is essential to consider the fact, even in the planning phase of facilities, that sport events in themselves do not make the facilities economically sustainable. JEL code: Z20

Examination of the sustainability of the sport facilities in the Northern Great Plain Region of Hungary

Developing sport into an industry has become a fundamental interest and a noticeable approach in Hungary in recent years. A socalled economic orientation can also be observed in the field of leisure time sports, which was made into law in Hungary in 2011 allowing the support of sport organisations and resulting in a number of infrastructural developments in Hungary. A wide range of development opportunities remain open in sports. This evaluation aims to introduce what significant sport-investment projects have been implemented in the Northern Great Plain region in recent decades and what effects these investments have had. Surveys have been used to reveal whether these facilities originating from years of sport developments are sustainable and to what extent these are exploited for organising sport events. Based on responses provided by a number of sport facilities – including ones built in the past and also ones opened recently – it can be concluded that sport in itself cannot solve the issue of operation and possible economic growth. Considering these aspects, it is important to incorporate, not only in operation but also during planning, the idea that current facilities must „serve” not solely sport events as these in themselves will not make them profitable but they must remain open for all sorts of social events as well.