Open AccessGender and healthcare accessibility in Europe
Author(s) -
Maria da Conceição,
Constantino Portela,
Adalberto Campos,
Palma de Cima
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of hospital administration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1927-7008
pISSN - 1927-6990
DOI - 10.5430/jha.v3n6p163
Subject(s) - health care , medicine , healthcare system , significant difference , eu countries , family medicine , demography , gender gap , european union , demographic economics , business , political science , sociology , economics , law , economic policy
Objective: Healthcare accessibility is necessary to achieve good health outcomes. However, access to healthcare can be decreased due to distance to healthcare centres, high costs, or waiting lists. The present study explored if there is a gender gap related to healthcare accessibility constraints. Methods: We performed a cross-country transversal study to investigate the existence of gender-related healthcare accessibility constraints using Mann-Whitney U tests. The research was based on self-reported unmet needs for medical examination due to access barriers according to Eurostat. We examined annual observations from 2005 through 2011 from eight European countries: Greece, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Conclusions: We found a gender gap related to unmet medical needs due to high costs, with females more likely to have such needs. The difference in mean values related to gender was statistically significant for Greece (5.17% vs. 3.59%; p = .007), France (1.80% vs. 1.23%; p = .007), Ireland (1.53% vs. 1.13%; p = .011), and Italy (4.39% vs. 2.99%; p = .004).