Accessibility of health care
-
A measure of the proportion of a population that reaches appropriate health services.
Financial accessibility measures the extent to which people are able to pay for care, usually measured through a community-based willingness and ability to pay survey.
Geographical accessibility measures the extent to which services are available and accessible to the population. It is linked to the distribution of infrastructure in a given region but also to the actual offering of these services at these facilities. Geographical accessibility will vary according to local means of transportation, as well as the local topography.
Cultural accessibility considers whether access to health services is impeded by cultural taboos.Reference: European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. Glossary. Internet. Accessed September 8, 2009. Available at http://www.euro.who.int/observatory/Glossary/TopPage