Inequalities in Health in a Municipality in Serbia

Abstract

Background/Aim. A consistent association between so­cioeconomic determinants and health related variables has been found in many European countries. The aims of this study were: to analyze the association of socioeconomic factors with self-perceived health and utilization of health services as well as to suggest some interventions to over­come the existing problems. Methods. Hybrid study was pefrormed. The two cross-sectional studies were conducted on quota samples (1999 and 2015) in Kruševac Municipal­ity. The questionnaire was used as the investigation instru­ment for 196 interviewees in 1999 and 226 interviewees in 2015. Results. In the reporting period, there were the fol­lowing results: a significant increase in people who did not have a steady income (χ² = 22.800; df = 4; р < 0.01), a de­crease in the number of people who perceived their own health as “well“ and “very well“, a significant increase (6.1%) in people who did not visit anyone when disease oc­curred, a decrease of 13.2% in number of people who, at least once,  visited the general practitioner and an increase in the  number of people who visited private health care sector. The findings revealed inequalities in self-perceived health depending on socioeconomic position, in particular educational and employment status (χ² = 11.293; df = 4; p < 0.05). There are two major ways in which unemploy­ment affects health: lack of income and ability to meet daily needs and emotional stress related to the meaning of the work, uncertain future, loss of self-esteem, and identity. Conclusion. Equality is a key value in the assessment of the effects on health. It is necessary to conduct effective inter­ventions for overcoming the consequences in society that would be focused on a specific target group in one territory.