title: Economist intelligence unit democracy index in relation to health services accessibility: a regression analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The relationship between political environment and health services accessibility (HSA) has not been the focus of any specific studies. The purpose of this study was to address this gap in the literature by examining the relationship between political environment and HSA.
  
  
  METHODS
  This relationship that HSA indicators (physicians, nurses and hospital beds per 10 000 people) has with political environment was analyzed with multiple least-squares regression using the components of democracy (electoral processes and pluralism, functioning of government, political participation, political culture, and civil liberties). The components of democracy were represented by the 2011 Economist Intelligence Unit Democracy Index (EIUDI) sub-scores. The EIUDI sub-scores and the HSA indicators were evaluated for significant relationships with multiple least-squares regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While controlling for a country's geographic location and level of democracy, we found that two components of a nation's political environment: functioning of government and political participation, and their interaction had significant relationships with the three HSA indicators.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These study findings are of significance to health professionals because they examine the political contexts in which citizens access health services, they come from research that is the first of its kind, and they help explain the effect political environment has on health.
authors.affiliation: University of Saskatchewan College of Nursing, 107 Wiggins Road Saskatoon, SK Canada S7N 5E5 mew513@mail.usask.ca.
authors.forename: Mary Ellen
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.affiliation: University of Saskatchewan College of Nursing, 107 Wiggins Road Saskatoon, SK Canada S7N 5E5.
authors.forename: June
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Anonson
authors.affiliation: University of Saskatchewan School of Public Health, Health Sciences Building, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK Canada S7N 5E5.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szafron
mesh_terms: D003709:Democracy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006742:Hospital Bed Capacity; D006801:Humans; D009726:Nurses / Q000600:supply & distribution; D010820:Physicians / Q000600:supply & distribution; D011057:Politics; D012044:Regression Analysis
keywords: Democracy; Determinants of health; Health services accessibility; Political context