Changes in Barriers to Accessing Health Care Services Over Time and Their Effects on Treatable Mortality Rates: A Panel Data Approach on European Union Countries

Öz

Unmet healthcare needs often degrade individuals' health status and can lead to death due to the inability to address health needs. The purpose of the current study is to reveal the impact of unmet healthcare needs on treatable deaths. This study is a longitudinal study conducted with data from 27 European Union member countries between 2011 and 2021. The data in the study were extracted from individual declaration reports on unmet healthcare needs published on the Eurostat website. Treatable deaths were included in the model as the dependent variable, while cost, waiting time, and distance were included as independent variables. Analyses were performed using Jamovi Version 2.4. The findings indicate that, in the model constructed without including the time unit, cost and waiting time statistically significantly and positively affect deaths from treatable causes, whereas distance shows no statistically significant effect. With the inclusion of the time unit, it was found that only waiting time significantly and positively affects treatable deaths, while other variables have no significant effect. Furthermore, the time variable itself was observed to positively affect treatable deaths in all other years compared to 2011. This study sheds light on critical issues in the healthcare system by examining the impact of barriers to healthcare access on treatable deaths. The analysis results show that, especially long waiting times, have a significant and consistent positive effect on treatable deaths. This is consistent with the literature suggesting that delays in accessing healthcare negatively affect the treatment of diseases requiring timely intervention and increase the risk of mortality.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Unmet Healthcare Needs
• Treatable Deaths
• Mixed Effects Model

Sağlık Hizmetlerine Erişim Engellerinin Zaman İçindeki Değişimi ve Tedavi Edilebilir Ölüm Oranları Üzerindeki Etkisi: Avrupa Birliği Ülkeleri Üzerine Bir Panel Veri Yaklaşımı

Öz

Karşılanamayan sağlık hizmetleri çoğu zaman bireylerin hem sağlık statüsünü düşürmekte hem de sağlık ihtiyacının giderilmemesi sebebi ile ölümle sonuçlanabilmektedir. Mevcut çalışmanın amacı karşılanamayan sağlık hizmetlerinin tedavi edilebilir ölümler üzerindeki etkisini ortaya koymaktır. Bu çalışma Avrupa Birliği üyesi 27 ülkenin 2011-2021 yılları arasındaki verisi ile yürütülmüş bir boylamsal çalışmadır. Çalışmadaki veriler Eurostat web sitesinde yayınlanan karşılanamayan sağlık ihtiyaçlarına yönelik bireysel beyan raporundan çekilmiştir. Tedavi edilebilir ölümler, bağımlı değişken, pahalılık, bekleme süresi ve uzaklık ise bağımsız değişken olarak modele dahil edilmiştir. Analizler Jamovi Sürüm 2.4 ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Elde edilen bulgular zaman biriminin dahil edilmeden kurulan modele göre pahalılık ve bekleme süresinin tedavi edilebilir nedenlerden kaynaklanan ölümleri istatistiksel olarak anlamlı pozitif yönde etkilemekte, buna karşın uzaklığın istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir etki göstermediği görülmektedir. Zaman biriminin dahil edilmesi ile birlikte sadece bekleme süresinin tedavi edilebilir ölümleri anlamlı pozitif yönde etkilediği buna karşın diğer değişkenlerin anlamlı bir etkiye sahip olmadığı tespit edilmiştir. Bununla birlikte zaman değişkeninin de 2011 yılı ile kıyas edildiğinde tüm diğer yıllarda tedavi edilebilir ölümleri pozitif yönde etkilediği görülmüştür. Bu çalışma, sağlık hizmetlerine erişimde yaşanan engellerin, tedavi edilebilir ölümler üzerindeki etkisini inceleyerek, sağlık sistemindeki kritik sorunlara ışık tutmaktadır. Analiz sonuçları, özellikle uzun bekleme sürelerinin, tedavi edilebilir ölümler üzerinde anlamlı ve istikrarlı bir etkisi olduğunu göstermektedir. Bu durum, sağlık hizmetlerine erişimde yaşanan gecikmelerin, zamanında müdahale gerektiren hastalıkların tedavisini olumsuz etkilediği ve ölüm riskini artırdığı yönündeki literatürle tutarlılık göstermektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Karşılanamayan Sağlık Hizmetleri
• Tedavi Edilebilir Ölümler
• Karma Etkiler Modeli

Kaynakça

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