Equity and the NHS: self-reported morbidity, access, and primary care

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Socioeconomic Determinants of Health

Background:

• Previous studies suggested inequities in primary health care access based on socioeconomic status.
• Understanding access patterns is crucial for evaluating healthcare system performance and equity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine primary health care access patterns in relation to socioeconomic status and health status.
• To assess the equity of the National Health Service (NHS) in primary care provision.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of raw data from the 1974 General Household Survey, encompassing 27,154 individuals.
• Calculation of access rates across four defined health categories: not ill, acutely sick, chronically sick without restricted activity, and chronically sick with restricted activity.
• Comparison of access rates with self-reported morbidity and socioeconomic indicators.

Main Results:

• Contrary to existing literature, the NHS demonstrated equitable access to primary health care.
• No consistent bias against lower socioeconomic groups was found; some groups had proportionately higher access rates.
• Significant variations in access patterns were observed both between and within different health status categories.

Conclusions:

• The NHS achieved equity in primary health care access, challenging previous conclusions on socioeconomic disparities.
• Health status is a significant factor influencing access patterns, alongside socioeconomic considerations.
• Further research is needed to understand the drivers of observed variations in access.