The Influence of Racial Differences in the Demand for Healthcare in South Africa: A Case of Public Healthcare.

David Mhlanga,Rufaro Garidzirai

doi:10.3390/ijerph17145043

Abstract

The study sought to analyse the influence of racial differences in the demand for public healthcare in South Africa, using the 2018 General Household Survey (GHS) data. This was completed to understand if race still plays a role in access to healthcare in post-apartheid South Africa. Logistic regression analysis revealed that race significantly explained the variance in demand for public healthcare, with White populations having the lowest probability of demand for public healthcare compared to other races. Consequently, the study noted that racial differences still play a critical role in affording one access to healthcare after assessing the situation obtaining in public healthcare. Therefore, the study recommends that the government of South Africa should create policies that encourage equal access to basic services in addressing racial inequality in the country.

Highlights

Race and socioeconomic status (SES) were important determinants of the utilisation of and access to healthcare services during the apartheid era in South Africa [1,2]
This study aimed to analyse the influence of racial differences in access to public healthcare in South Africa
The results of the study showed that the majority of South Africans made use of public healthcare

Summary

Introduction

Race and socioeconomic status (SES) were important determinants of the utilisation of and access to healthcare services during the apartheid era in South Africa [1,2]. The ability to have access to quality services is mainly influenced by the socio-economic status of the people, rather than the need for care [1]. In South Africa, the majority of people depend on public healthcare facilities to access healthcare services. In 2019, Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) reported that 71.5% of households used public healthcare facilities whenever they needed care, while 27.1% of households used private healthcare facilities when they required healthcare [4]. The statistics further showed that 0.7% of households consulted traditional healthcare facilities, such as traditional healers, when they were ill [4].

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