Health Policy Manag.  2022 Jun;32(2):237-243. 10.4332/KJHPA.2022.32.2.237.

Unmet Healthcare Needs Status and Trend of South Korea in 2020

• Joo HJ
• Jang BN
• Joo JH
• Park EC
• Jang SI

• KMID: 2534950
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4332/KJHPA.2022.32.2.237

Abstract

Unmet healthcare is an important indicator to measure accessibility of healthcare services. To examine the latest status of unmet healthcare needs in South Korea, four different data which is composed of nationally representative sample of South Korean population were used; the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2007–2020), the Community Health Survey (CHS, 2008–2020), the Korea Health Panel Survey (KHP, 2011–2018), and the Korean Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS, 2006– 2020). The proportion of individuals reporting unmet healthcare needs were 6.4% (KNHANES), 5.4% (CHS), and 12.2% (KHP). Annual percentage change (APC) which identifies trend for the follow-up period was -9.9%, -9.1%, and -5.5%, respectively. The proportion of individuals reporting unmet healthcare needs due to cost were 1.0% (KNHANES), 0.4% (CHS), 2.2% (KHP), and 0.4% (KOWEPS). The APC was -11.3%, -17.0%, -12.2%, and -21.2%, respectively. Overall, the low-income and the elderly population reported a higher rate of unmet health care needs. Although the overall experience rate of unmet medical care due to cost decreased over the past decade, the disparity between the lowest and highest income groups still remained in 2020. Disparity between income levels and age groups is a challenge to address in healthcare system, and these results suggest the need for adequate health coverage for the low-income and the elderly populations.

Keyword

Unmet healthcare needs; Low income; Elderly