Unmet healthcare needs depending on employment status

- 22.9% of in Korean respondents said they had failed at least once to have a medical treatment or checkup despite the need. They experienced unmet healthcare needs due to reasons such as economic burden (22.3%) and no time to spare (39.1%).
- Non-regular waged workers were more likely to have an unmet need for healthcare due to “economic burden” than regular waged workers.
- On the other hand, regular waged workers were less likely to receive necessary healthcare services due to “no time to spare” than non-regular waged workers and economically inactive people.

ObjectivesThe purpose of study is to find relevance between unmet healthcare needs and employment status and if factors have relevance to unmet healthcare needs due to “economic burden” and “no time to spare”.MethodsThe study conducted a survey of 9163 respondents who said they needed a medical treatment or checkup were asked why the need for care was unmet.Results22.9% of the respondents said they did not receive a medical treatment or checkup they needed at least once. The rate of unmet healthcare needs caused by “economic burden” was higher among temporary workers (ORs = 2.13), day workers (ORs = 1.92). However, the rate of unmet needs due to “no time to spare” was lower for temporary workers (ORs = .58) than for regular workers, studies (ORs = .33), housework (ORs = .26), early retirement (ORs = .19) and disease or injury (ORs = .07).ConclusionNon-regular waged workers were more likely to have an unmet need for healthcare due to “economic burden” than regular waged workers. On the other hand, regular waged workers were less likely to receive necessary healthcare services due to “no time to spare” than non-regular waged workers and economically inactive people.