摘要：This paper provides a statistical analysis of the complex decision-making
process related to the adoption of eHealth. The analysis refers to the state of
information and communication technology (ICT) adoption in the fi eld of health
under the perspective of the disparities within the European Union countries,
Iceland and Norway. For this research, a composite index was developed for
a multi-criteria evaluation of existing inequalities in the quality of life, public
health system, and adoption of eHealth. The relative distance method was applied
by combining diff erent classifi cation criteria, and returning a hierarchy of the
European countries. Then, the disparities were considered based on the status of
eHealth adoption, ranking the countries based on life quality and public health
system. Results highlight that Romania, along with Latvia, Poland or Bulgaria,
are characterised by the lowest level of public health e ffi ciency, due to reduced
health expenditures and a healthcare system self-assessed as unsatisfactory by
a large proportion of the population. These results have essential implications in
the public policies considered in order to reduce the existing gap towards the
European average. In addition, a series of challenges are addressed in the direction
of preventive strategies, in order to respond to the current pressures of the health
systems.
关键词：eHealth; disparities; composite index; relative distance method;;
EU; social variables.
