A new report finds income-related inequalities in use of health services across all OECD countries, with high income individuals more likely to visit a doctor. Health care funding, including public and private health insurance and sharing out-of-pocket expenses for some services), appear to have an impact on inequities. The 19 OECD countries include: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, New Zealand, Poland, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States.
To read the full report, “Income-Related Inequalities in Health Service Utilization in 19 OECD Countries”, M. Devaux and M. de Looper, 2012, visit the OECD website at www.oecd-library.org.