Inequities in access to health care in South Africa

Date

2011

Authors

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

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Abstract

Achieving equitable universal health coverage requires the provision of accessible, necessary services for the entire population without imposing an unaffordable burden on individuals or households. In South Africa, little is known about access barriers to health care for the general population. We explore affordability, availability, and acceptability of services through a nationally representative household survey (n=4668), covering utilization, health status, reasons for delaying care, perceptions and experiences of services, and health-care expenditure. Socio-economic status, race, insurance status, and urban-rural location were associated with access to care, with black Africans, poor, uninsured and rural respondents, experiencing greatest barriers. Understanding access barriers from the user perspective is important for expanding health-care coverage, both in South Africa and in other low- and middle-income countries.

Description

Keywords

OUT-OF-POCKET PAYMENTS, ACCESS TO SERVICES, HEALTH-CARE UTILIZATION, INEQUITY, HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS, SOUTH AFRICA, HEALTH EXPENDITURE, HEALTH INSURANCE, USER FEES

Citation

Harris, B., Goudge, J., Ataguba, J. E., McIntyre, D., Nxumalo, N., Jikwana, S., & Chersich, M. (2011). Inequities in access to health care in South. Journal of Public Health Policy, 32 (S1): S102-S103. doi:10.1057/jphp.2011.35

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10625/50193

DOI

Collections

IDRC Research Results / Résultats de recherches du CRDI
2010-2019 / Années 2010-2019
Health Systems Research / recherche sur les systèmes de santé
Research Results (GHRI) / Résultats de recherches (IRSM)
Teasdale-Corti Global Health Research Partnership (TC) / partenariat Teasdale-Corti de recherche en santé mondiale