M Eugenia Socías1, Mieke Koehoorn2, Jean Shoveller2. 1. Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Electronic address: esocias@cfenet.ubc.ca. 2. School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Existing literature is inconclusive as to whether disparities in access to health care between men and women are mainly driven by socioeconomic or gender inequalities. The aim of this study was to assess whether gender was independently associated with perceived unmet health care needs among a representative sample of British Columbia adults. METHODS: Using data from the 2011/2012 Canadian Community Health Survey, logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate the independent effect of gender on perceived unmet health care needs adjusting for potential individual and contextual confounders. RESULTS: Among 12,252 British Columbia adults (51.9% female), the prevalence of perceived unmet health care needs was 12.0%, with a significantly greater percentage among women compared with men (13.7% vs. 10.1%; p < .001). After adjusting for multiple confounders, women had independently increased odds of perceived unmet health care needs (adjusted odds ratio, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.11-1.68). DISCUSSION: The current study found that, among a representative sample of British Columbia adults and adjusting for various individual and contextual factors, female gender was associated independently with an increased odds of perceived unmet health care needs. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that within Canada's universal health system, gender further explains differences in health care access, over and above socioeconomic inequalities. Interventions within and outside the health sector are required to achieve equitable access to health care for all residents in British Columbia.
INTRODUCTION: Existing literature is inconclusive as to whether disparities in access to health care between men and women are mainly driven by socioeconomic or gender inequalities. The aim of this study was to assess whether gender was independently associated with perceived unmet health care needs among a representative sample of British Columbia adults. METHODS: Using data from the 2011/2012 Canadian Community Health Survey, logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate the independent effect of gender on perceived unmet health care needs adjusting for potential individual and contextual confounders. RESULTS: Among 12,252 British Columbia adults (51.9% female), the prevalence of perceived unmet health care needs was 12.0%, with a significantly greater percentage among women compared with men (13.7% vs. 10.1%; p < .001). After adjusting for multiple confounders, women had independently increased odds of perceived unmet health care needs (adjusted odds ratio, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.11-1.68). DISCUSSION: The current study found that, among a representative sample of British Columbia adults and adjusting for various individual and contextual factors, female gender was associated independently with an increased odds of perceived unmet health care needs. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that within Canada's universal health system, gender further explains differences in health care access, over and above socioeconomic inequalities. Interventions within and outside the health sector are required to achieve equitable access to health care for all residents in British Columbia.
Authors: Marilyne Daher; Mahmoud Al Rifai; Riyad Y Kherallah; Fatima Rodriguez; Dhruv Mahtta; Erin D Michos; Safi U Khan; Laura A Petersen; Salim S Virani Journal: Prev Med Date: 2021-09-03 Impact factor: 4.637
Authors: M Eugenia Socías; Jean Shoveller; Chili Bean; Paul Nguyen; Julio Montaner; Kate Shannon Journal: PLoS One Date: 2016-05-16 Impact factor: 3.240