Abstract
The study explores the evolution of inequalities in health care use by the 50+ in Greece, at specific single points in time: before the economic crisis (2004), at the peak (2015), after the Economic Adjustment Programs’exit (2018), at the peak of the COVID19 pandemic (June 2021). Four (4) cross-sectional analyses were conducted based on four(4) waves of the nationwide European database SHARE for the 50+ population in Greece:
• 2004(Wave 1) with sample of 2,659 individuals,
• 2015(Wave 6) with 4,788
• 2019(Wave 8), with 2,496
• COVID-19 pandemic peak in 2021(Wave Corona SHARE Survey 2 - CSC2) with 2,496 individuals.
After identifying key (health status, socio-economic and geographical) determinants of healthcare utilization, separate analyses were made for the probability of positive use and the frequency of health care visits using the logistic regression method - odds ratios (Negative Binomial and Truncated Negative Binomial Models) in terms of: (a) inpatient visit (b) outpatient doctor visit (PHC) and (c) unmet/foregone care. Results: (a) In terms of utilization: About the effect of the economic crisis – there is a significant decrease in average annual medical outpatient visits (mainly PHC), -among all the Waves- favouring low-income groups, and less inpatient visits with a slight decrease in average annual inpatient visits. (b) There are consistently significant intra- and inter-regional geographical disparities for any medical outpatient (PHC) visits in favour of thinly populated areas in all four Waves. (c)Regarding the impact of the pandemic, the above inequalities increased in all healthcare types and led to unmet/foregone care for the 50+.
Author Information
Ismini Drakou, European University Cyprus, Cyprus
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