The Impact of Rising Living Costs on Healthcare Services after 2021: An Evaluation Based on the Perspectives of Individuals Living in Türkiye

Öz

Economic crises or rising living costs have a profound impact on social life. Anticipating the consequences of such crises is crucial for developing strategies to address them effectively. This study aims to provide insights into the effects of the observed cost of living from 2021 onward on healthcare services in Türkiye. The research was conducted as a descriptive and cross-sectional study involving a sample of 468 participants. It focused on individuals receiving healthcare services in 2022 in a province located in eastern Türkiye. Data was collection using an 11-item measurement tool designed by the researcher, drawing upon existing literature and the structure of the Turkish healthcare system. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v22.0 software, with random sampling methods, and results were interpreted at a 95% confidence level (p<0.05). Among sociodemographic factors, only working status showed statistical significance, revealing that unemployed participants were the most affected by the rising cost of living. An item-level analysis of the measurement tool indicated that during the early stages of the economic downturn, individuals experienced low satisfaction with healthcare services, difficulties in accessing medication, a shortage of available appointments, and an increased referral rate. Consequently, severe living conditions have adversely impacted access to healthcare resources. Given the transitional nature of this period, continued public investment in the healthcare system and the implementation of best practices are recommended to aid recovery from the crisis.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Attitudes
• cost of lifving health services
• patient satisfaction

2021 Sonrası Artan Yaşam Maliyetlerinin Sağlık Hizmetleri Üzerindeki Etkisi: Türkiye’de Yaşayan Bireylerin Görüşlerine Dayalı Bir Değerlendirme

Öz

Ekonomik krizler veya artan yaşam maliyetleri, sosyal hayat üzerinde derin etkiler yaratmaktadır. Bu tür krizlerin sonuçlarını öngörmek, onlarla mücadele etmek için stratejiler geliştirilmesi açısından kritik öneme sahiptir. Bu çalışma, 2021 ve sonrasında gözlemlenen yaşam maliyetlerinin Türkiye’de sağlık hizmetleri üzerindeki etkilerine dair bilgi sağlamayı amaçlamaktadır. Tanımlayıcı ve kesitsel bir çalışma olarak tasarlanan araştırmada, 468 katılımcıdan oluşan bir örneklem yer almıştır. Araştırma, 2022 yılında Türkiye’nin doğusunda bir ilde sağlık hizmeti alan bireyleri incelemiştir. Veri toplama, literatür ve Türkiye’nin sağlık sistemi yapısına referansla, araştırmacı tarafından tasarlanan 11 maddelik bir ölçüm aracı kullanılarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. İstatistiksel analizler SPSS v22.0 yazılımı ile rastgele örnekleme yöntemi kullanılarak yapılmış ve sonuçlar %95 güven düzeyinde (p<0,05) yorumlanmıştır. Sosyodemografik faktörler arasında yalnızca çalışma durumu istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bulunmuş ve işsiz katılımcıların artan yaşam maliyetlerinden en fazla etkilenen grup olduğu ortaya çıkmıştır. Ölçüm aracının madde düzeyindeki analizi, ekonomik durgunluğun erken dönemlerinde bireylerin sağlık hizmetlerinden düşük memnuniyet, ilaç erişiminde zorluklar, randevu bulma fırsatlarında azalma ve sevk oranlarında artış yaşadığını göstermiştir. Sonuç olarak, şiddetli yaşam koşulları bireylerin sağlık kaynaklarına erişimini olumsuz etkilemiştir. Krizin geçici bir dönem olduğu göz önüne alındığında, kamu sağlık yatırımlarının devam etmesi ve bu krizden çıkış için en iyi uygulamaların yapılması önerilmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Tutumlar
• hayat pahalılığı
• sağlık hizmetleri
• memnuniyet

Kaynakça

1. Alpar, R. (2014). Applied statistics with examples and validity and reliability from sports, health and education sciences. (3nd edition), Detay Publishing.
2. Aslan, S., & Çınıbulak, M. (2022). The effect of the economic crises after 2000 on private hospitals in Türkiye. International Journal of Medical and Health Sciences, 8(16), 51-58. https://doi.org/10.48121/jihsam.1151987
3. Ayla, D., Karış, Ç., & Kızıltaş A. (2019). Social effects of economic crisis: An application on Turkey (1980-2016). Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, 33(2), 415-434.
4. Bakan, İ., Akyüz, M., Eyitmiş, A. M., Doğan, İ. F. (2011). An empirical study in the city of Malatya regarding the effects of the economic crises on the human behaviours. Bingol University Journal of Social Sciences Institute, 1(1), 1-24.
5. Cervero-Liceras, F., McKee, M., & Legido-Quigley, H. (2015). The effects of the financial crisis and austerity measures on the Spanish health care system: A qualitative analysis of health professionals’ perceptions in the region of Valencia. Health Policy, 119(1), 100-106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2014.11.003
6. Charalambous, C. H., Theodorou, M., & Galanis, P. (2015). The impact of the crisis on dental care in Cyprus-the view of dentists. Archives of Hellenic Medicine, 32, 194-201.
7. Crookes, C., Palladino, R., Seferidi, P., Hirve, R., Siskou, O., & Filippidis F. T. (2020). Impact of the economic crisis on household health expenditure in Greece: an interrupted time series analysis. BMJ Open, 10, e038158. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038158
8. de Belvis, A. G., Ferrè, F., Specchia, M. L., Valerio, L., Fattore, G., & Ricciardi, W. (2012). The financial crisis in Italy: Implications for the healthcare sector. Health Policy, 106, 10-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2012.04.003

9. Ekici, G., Aran, O., Pekçetin, S., & Ekici, B. (2023). Test-retest reliability and external validity of Canadian diabetes risk questionnaire - Turkish. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi Dergisi, 26 (2), 148-160. https://doi.org/10.21020/husbfd.1179282
10. Fernández, S. C., Ajuria, A. F., & Martín, J. J. (2015). The impact of the economic crisis on unmet dental care needs in Spain. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 69, 880-885. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2014-204493
11. Fleming, P., Caffrey, L., Belle S. V., Sarah, B., Burke, S., Conway, J., Siersbaek, R., Mockler, D., & Thomas, S. (2023). How ınternational health system austerity responses to the 2008 financial crisis ımpacted health system and workforce resilience-A realist review. International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 12, 7420. https://doi.org/10.34172/ijhpm.2022.7420
12. George, D., & Mallery, P. (2020). SPSS for windows step by step: a simple guide and reference 17.0 update. (10th edition), Boston
13. Guessous, I., Theler, J. M., Izart, C. D., Stringhini, S., Bodenmann, P., Gaspoz, J-M., Wolff, H. (2014). Forgoing dental care for economic reasons in Switzerland: A six-year cross-sectional population-based study. BMC Oral Health, 14, 121. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6831/14/121
14. Hasançebi, B., Terzi, Y., & Küçük, Z. (2020). Distractor analysis based on item difficulty index and item discrimination index. Gümüşhane Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi, 10 (1), 224-240. https://doi.org/10.17714/gumusfenbil.615465
15. Israel, S. (2016). How social policies can improve financial accessibility of healthcare: A multi-level analysis of unmet medical need in European countries. International Journal for Equity in Health, 15, 41. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-016-0335-7
16. Karagölge, C., & Peker, K. (2002). Using stratified sampling methods in the resource of agricultural economics. Atatürk University Journal of Agricultural Faculty, 33 (3): 313-316.
17. Karathanasi, K., Malliarou, M., Koutelekos, J., Sarafis, P., & Prezerakos, P. (2015). Economic crisis in Greek ORs. Open Access Library Journal, 2, e1877. https://doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1101877
18. Kentikelenis, A., Karanikolos, M., Papanicolas, I., Basu, S., McKee, M., & Stuckler, D. (2011). Health effects of financial crisis: Omens of a Greek tragedy. Lancet, 378, 1457-1468. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140
19. Metintaş, S., & Atay, E. (2019). Research methods in dermatology. ESTUDAM Public Health Journal, 4, 1-26.
20. Mitropoulos, P. (2021). Production and quality performance of healthcare services in EU countries during the economic crisis. European Journal of Operational Research, 21, 857-873. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12351-019-00483-3
21. Naing, L., Winn, T., & Rusli B. N. (2006). Practical issues in calculating the sample size for prevalence studies. Archives of Orofacial Sciences, 1, 9-14.
22. Palencia, L., Espelt, A., Cornejo-Ovalle, M., & Borrell, C. (2014). Socioeconomic inequalities in the use of dental care services in Europe: What is the role of public coverage?. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 42, 97-105. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdoe.12056
23. Rodrik, D. (2012). The Turkish economy after the global financial crisis. Ekonomi-tek, 1(1), 41-61.
24. Saleh, E. A. (2023). The effects of economic and financial crises on FDI: a literature review. Journal of Business Research, 161, 113830. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.113830
25. Simou, E., & Koutsogeorgou, E. (2014). Effects of the economic crisis on health and healthcare in Greece in the literature from 2009 to 2013: a systematic review. Health Policy, 115, 111-119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2014.02.002
26. Parker, A. (2009). Dental care during a recession. N C Med J, 70, 352–363.
27. Popic, T., Schneider, S. M., & Asensio, M. (2019). Public opinion on healthcare in the context of economic crisis: Evidence from Portugal. Journal of Social Policy, 48(4), 741-764. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047279418000818
28. Spina, E. (2015). The Italian dental sector in a period of economic crisis. Social Anthropology, 3(11), 575-583. https://doi.org/10.13189/sa.2015.031101
29. Recio, R. S., De Ágreda, J. P. A. P., & Rabanaque, M. J. (2022). Understanding the effect of economic recession on healthcare services: A systematic review. Iranian Journal of Public Health, 51 (3), 495-507. https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v51i3.8925
30. Roelfs, D. J., Shor, E., & Davidson, K. W. (2011). Losing life and livelihood: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of unemployment and all‐cause mortality. Social Science & Medicine, 72(6), 840‐854. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.01.005
31. Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2013). Using multivariate statistics. (6th edition), Boston Turkish Statistical Institute/TURKSTAT. (2023). Life tables, 2020-2022. https://data.tuik.gov.tr/Bulten/Index?p=Life-Tables-2020-2022-49726&dil
32. Vlasiadis, K., Samaritaki, E., & Koutsamani, M. (2019). The effects of the financial crisis on the general and dental health status of Greek citizens. International Journal of Health Planning and Management, 34, 1485-1496. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpm.2805
33. Yang, B. M., Prescott, N., & Bae, E. Y. (2001). The impact of economic crisis on health-care consumption in Korea. Health Policy and Planning, 16(4), 372-385. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/16.4.372
34. Zavras, D., Zavras, A. I., & Kyriopoulos, I. L. (2016). Economic crisis, austerity and unmet healthcare needs: The case of Greece. BMC Health Services Research, 16, 309. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-016-1557-5