The tabloid news cycle tends to be dominated by the latest house fire, car accident, murder, sex scandal, sports result, and so on. It’s all so predictable.

Even the serious traditional news media tends to be dominated by:

• the latest large scale event – typhoon, civil war atrocity
• the latest political “fix” – Iran nuclear “deal”, for example
• the current political debate – spying, boats, mandates and promises, back-flips

Stories come on stage. Then they disappear. But the consequences don’t. To find out more about what’s going on, you sometimes have to dig deep. This is where the web comes in.

Remember all the stories about Greece? Debt. Austerity. Riots. Misery. Will they exit the Euro or not? Eventually the Europeans (Germans) rode in on the white charger and bailed Greece out – just enough to save their own mates (banks) from the consequences of making ridiculously bad loans.

But the bailout didn’t do much for the average Greek.

Here’s a story from deep inside a 2013 World Health Organisation Report called “Review of social determinants and the health divide in the WHO European Region: final report” (sounds enticing reading doesn’t it!);

Page 112:

Case study: countries’ experiences of financial crisis – Greece

… Suicides rose by 17% between 2007 and 2009 and to 25% in 2010, according to unofficial 2010 data (398). The Minister of Health reported a further 40% rise in the first half of 2011 compared with the same period in 2010. Suicide attempts have also increased, particularly among people reporting economic distress (610). Homicide and theft rates have doubled. HIV rates and heroin use have risen significantly, with about half of new HIV infections being self-inflicted to enable people to receive benefits of €700 per month and faster admission on to drug-substitution programmes. Prostitution has also risen, probably as a response to economic hardship. Health care access has declined as hospital budgets have been cut by about 40% (398) and it is estimated that 26 000 public health workers (9100 doctors) will lose their jobs (611). Further cuts are expected as a result of recent negotiations with the IMF and European Central Bank.

Hmmm …