Abstract
Equitable access to healthcare is fundamental in preventing health inequities, and it is warranted by international and regional norms on socio-economic rights. However, during financial crisis, pro-cyclical fiscal austerity can shift the cost of healthcare from the public onto the individual, impinging on the right of everyone to access timely and affordable healthcare. This article analyses this process through the case study of Italy, where the 2008 Great Recession catalysed a series of draconian budget cuts in the health sector. Using disaggregated survey data on self-reported unmet needs for healthcare, it will be shown that increased user fees and downsized health staff and facilities, combined with reduced disposable income, was associated with a drastic rise in inequities in accessing healthcare in Italy.
Highlights
Equitable access to healthcare is fundamental in preventing health inequities, and it is warranted by international and regional norms on socio-economic rights
This article analyses this process through the case study of Italy, where the 2008 Great Recession catalysed a series of draconian budget cuts in the health sector
Many governments turned to harsh austerity measures to restore public finances, either out of their own volition or under pressure from regional banks and international financial institutions (IFIs)
Summary
In 2008, the United States subprime mortgage market entered a financial crisis, triggering one of the most severe global recessions since the 1930s. To this end, disaggregated European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) microdata on unmet medical needs will be scrutinised in detail, highlighting how disparities in accessing care have widened during the crisis. In “The Killing Fields of Inequality”, Therborn (2012) defines these kinds of socio-economic disparities as inequality “of resources” Likewise, individual differences such as age, gender, nationality and country of birth can all generate significant gaps when accessing healthcare. This might be the result of the harsh austerity measures implemented in Europe after the global recession, with loss of entitlements for some groups and, at the same time, a higher need for healthcare due to the crisis (De Vogli, 2013, 2014; Loughane et al, 2019)
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