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KMID : 1170320030090020013
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Korean Journal of Health Economics and Policy
2003 Volume.9 No. 2 p.13 ~ p.23
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Equity in Health Care Utilization in Korea
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Kwon Soon-Man
Yang Bong-Min
Lee Tae-Jin
Oh Ju-Whan
Lee Sue-Hyung
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Abstract
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Equity in health care utilization is measured by the horizontal equity in terms of equal treatment for equal health care needs. Health care utilization of the poor can be higher than that of the well off because of their poor health. Therefore, equity in health care utilization should take into account the distribution of health care needs. This study follows
the theoretical framework of van Doorslaer and Wagstaff (2000), where HIwv is the difference between the concentration indices of actual health care utilization and health care needs. Based on the Health and Nutrition Survey of 1998, health care utilization was measured by the number of outpatient visits, number of inpatient days and health care
expenditure. Health care needs were measured by the number of chronic diseases and self assessed health with 5 scales. Utilization of outpatient care in Korea is equitable (favorable for the poor) or less inequitable compared with other OECD countries. Utilization in terms of the number of inpatient days is equitable for the poor, too. To take into account the
quality or intensity of health care utili zation, distribution of health expenditure is also analyzed. Despite the fact that a greater quantity of health care is utilized by the poor (after controlling for their health care needs) compared with the well off, the rich spend more on health care, meaning that the quality or intensity of health care they use is greater than that the poor use.
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KEYWORD
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Health care utilization, Equity
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