Inequalities in unmet needs for health care

This chapter focuses on individuals who have faced barriers in accessing health care and as a result declare that their needs have not been met, and it assesses the extent to which the distribution of unmet needs is unequal across income groups. The chapter starts with a brief discussion of the unmet needs variable and how it relates to other access measures. Unmet needs across income groups are then analysed for 31 countries. Reasons for unmet needs which are more linked to the supply of services - distance and waiting time - are first reviewed, followed by affordability. Where possible, the analysis of unmet needs for financial reasons explores medical care, dental care and prescription drugs separately. The chapter concludes by analysing patterns of unmet needs across countries.