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Understanding unmet health-care need among older Ghanaians: a gendered analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 January 2020

Vincent Z. Kuuire Open the ORCID record for Vincent Z. Kuuire [Opens in a new window] ,
Eric Y. Tenkorang ,
Prince M. Amegbor Open the ORCID record for Prince M. Amegbor [Opens in a new window]  and
Mark Rosenberg
Vincent Z. Kuuire*
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Social and Behavioural Science, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
Eric Y. Tenkorang
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, Canada
Prince M. Amegbor
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
Mark Rosenberg
Affiliation:
Department of Geography and Planning, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
*
*Corresponding author. Email: vincent.kuuire@utoronto.ca
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Abstract

Health insurance schemes are important for bridging gaps in health-care needs between the rich and poor, especially in contexts where poverty is higher among seniors (persons aged 65 years and above). In this study we examined (a) gender-based predictors of unmet health-care need among seniors and (b) whether access was influenced by wealth status (measured by income quintiles). Gender-specific negative log–log regression models were fitted to data from the Study on Global Ageing and Health to examine associations between unmet health-care need and health insurance status controlling for theoretically relevant covariates. Insurance status was an important determinant of men and women's unmet health-care need but the relationship was moderated by income quintile for women and not men. While occupation was important for men, religion, marital status and income quintile were significantly associated with women's unmet health-care need. Based on the observed gender differences, we recommend the implementation of programmes aimed at improving the economic situation of older people, particularly women.

Keywords

genderunmet health-care needhealth insuranceageingGhana
Type
Article
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 41 , Issue 8 , August 2021 , pp. 1748 - 1769
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press.

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