title: Inequities in access to health care in South Africa.
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.
authors: Faculty of Health Sciences, Centre for Health Policy & Medical Research Council Health Policy Research Group, School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Private Bag X3, Wits, 2050 Johannesburg, South Africa. bronwyn.harris@wits.ac.za
authors: Bronwyn
authors: B
authors: Harris
authors: Jane
authors: J
authors: Goudge
authors: John E
authors: JE
authors: Ataguba
authors: Diane
authors: D
authors: McIntyre
authors: Nonhlanhla
authors: N
authors: Nxumalo
authors: Siyabonga
authors: S
authors: Jikwana
authors: Matthew
authors: M
authors: Chersich
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013019:South Africa; D055815:Young Adult