Health equity in Thai ageing

Bhumisuk Khananurak, Institue for Population and Social Research (IPSR)

This study intends to explore equity in health care utilization of Thai ageing by using secondary data from the Health and Welfare Survey, the National Statistical Office, from 2003 to 2007 to represent national level. Comparisons of income quintiles, concentration curve and concentration index are conducted. This study found that more than 90% of Thai people got health insurances. Most of them came from universal health coverage. The universal health coverage can increase more access and utilization of health service among the poor elderly. Moreover it found that the equitable trend of out-patient health care utilization at standard hospital is also increase. When considering the trend in health care utilization at primary and secondary health care level it found that the poor elderly who are the out-patients utilized health services at primary and secondary health care level more than the rich elderly as a result of the pro-poor policy.