Evaluation of equity in access to pharmaceutical services in selected cites of Isfahan Province, Iran

Abstract

Background: Equity is one of the pivotal aims and priorities of the pharmaceutical system. The World Health Organization report in 2000 clarifies the important role of equity in health-care systems. Equity and efficiency are prominent features of health-care system operation. Pharmaceuticals play an important role in the cycle of health services. The aim of this study was to evaluate the equity in access to pharmaceutical services in selected cities of Isfahan Province, Iran. Methods: This research is a cross-sectional analytical study. A valid, reliable questionnaire including 25 questions was prepared to measure patients’ access to their prescribed medicines and also to determine their socioeconomic status (SES). Totally 800 questionnaires were completed by patients who attended pharmacies in selected cities of Isfahan Province. Equity in access was evaluated using concentration and Lorenz curves. Results: Nearly 66% of the samples were categorized in moderate-to-extremely poor SES. The highest rate of access to pharmaceutical services was found in Borkhar and Meymeh (98.9%) and the least was in Natanz (90.5%). The concentration index (CI) for access to pharmaceutical services was 0.029 in Isfahan Province, and thus equitable access to pharmaceutical services was estimated to be about 97% in this province. Conclusion: The CI for access to pharmaceutical services was 0.029 in Isfahan Province. The findings show that the pattern of accessibility is not significantly different between the cities with various development indicators and is not related with various SES. This could be considered as one of the positive features of pharmaceutical policy in Iran.

Keywords

• Equity
• Pharmaceutical services
• Concentration curve
• Isfahan
• Iran