Self-reported unmet need for medical examination and care by sex

The indicator measures the share of the population aged 16 and over reporting unmet needs for medical care due to one of the following reasons: ‘Financial reasons’, ‘Waiting list’ and ‘Too far to travel’ (all three categories are cumulated). Self-reported unmet needs concern a person’s own assessment of whether he or she needed medical examination or treatment (dental care excluded), but did not have it or did not seek it. The data stem from the EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU SILC). Note on the interpretation: The indicator is derived from self-reported data so it is, to a certain extent, affected by respondents’ subjective perception as well as by their social and cultural background. Another factor playing a role is the different organisation of health care services, be that nationally or locally. All these factors should be taken into account when analysing the data and interpreting the results.