Equity and Health in Primary Health Care

Abstract

Health is one of the most significant factors affecting people's present enjoyment and participation in life as well as future wellbeing. There is a special community concern about equity and health. This concern has at least three facets. The first facet is equity and health status. Although it is unrealistic to expect equal health outcomes amongst individuals, there is an equity problem if people's socio-economic backgrounds have a significant impact on capacity to have good health. The second aspect is equity and access to health care. As access to health care can impact on the suffering connected with poor health as well as influencing the prospect of good health, there is an equity concern if people's backgrounds influence their ability to access appropriate, quality health care according to need. The third aspect concerns the cost and the financing of health care. We are concerned if the cost of health care acts as a barrier to access according to need. There is also a problem if the cost of health care substantially undermines people's capacity to have a decent standard of living by reducing disposable incomes, especially for those who are on low incomes and finding it difficult 'to make ends meet'.