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Aim <p>To investigate the impact of public healthcare expenditure on unmet healthcare needs among older European adults.</p> Subject and methods <p>Using data from wave 8 (2019/2020) of the Survey on Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), multiple probit regression analyses were conducted to assess the independent effect of public healthcare expenditure on the probability of unmet needs. The study includes 42,780 respondents aged 50+ across 26 European countries.</p> Results <p>The prevalence of unmet healthcare needs increased substantially between 2004 and 2019/2020 across all countries with available data. In 2019/2020, Greece had the highest prevalence (27.8%), followed by Romania (20.9%) and Estonia (19.9%). The greatest increases over time, as well as the highest prevalence, were observed in specialist physician services. Higher public healthcare expenditure significantly reduced the probability of unmet healthcare needs across all outcomes. The marginal effects varied among countries, with the strongest impact observed in those with high unmet needs and low public healthcare expenditure. Additional independent risk factors for unmet needs included younger age, female sex, unmarried status, urban residence, lower income, supplementary health insurance, and poorer health status.</p> Conclusions <p>Public investment in healthcare plays a critical role in reducing unmet healthcare needs among older adults. Policy-makers should consider public health funding not as an expense but as a strategic investment in equitable healthcare access and overall population health.</p>

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Unmet healthcare needs among older Europeans: trends, determinants, and the role of public health expenditure

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年7月1日

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  • Athanasios Chantzaras,
  • John Yfantopoulos

摘要

Aim

To investigate the impact of public healthcare expenditure on unmet healthcare needs among older European adults.

Subject and methods

Using data from wave 8 (2019/2020) of the Survey on Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), multiple probit regression analyses were conducted to assess the independent effect of public healthcare expenditure on the probability of unmet needs. The study includes 42,780 respondents aged 50+ across 26 European countries.

Results

The prevalence of unmet healthcare needs increased substantially between 2004 and 2019/2020 across all countries with available data. In 2019/2020, Greece had the highest prevalence (27.8%), followed by Romania (20.9%) and Estonia (19.9%). The greatest increases over time, as well as the highest prevalence, were observed in specialist physician services. Higher public healthcare expenditure significantly reduced the probability of unmet healthcare needs across all outcomes. The marginal effects varied among countries, with the strongest impact observed in those with high unmet needs and low public healthcare expenditure. Additional independent risk factors for unmet needs included younger age, female sex, unmarried status, urban residence, lower income, supplementary health insurance, and poorer health status.

Conclusions

Public investment in healthcare plays a critical role in reducing unmet healthcare needs among older adults. Policy-makers should consider public health funding not as an expense but as a strategic investment in equitable healthcare access and overall population health.