Socioeconomic determinants of access to preventive healthcare services challenges and policy implications: A systematic review

Background . Socioeconomic determinants have a great influence on the access of preventive health care services. Objective . The purpose of this systematic review is to assess barriers, facilitators, and policy implications for healthcare equity from the global data. Methods . A systematic review was carried out across different regions and income classes. Data from studies regarding socioeconomic factors, healthcare system characteristics, and equity metrics were analysed. The statistical methodologies used were regression analyses, concentration indices, and inequality measures to measure the barriers and facilitators. Results . The results suggested that financial constraints were the primary barrier to equity in low- and middle-income settings, supplemented by geographic inaccessibility and cultural factors. In the high-income settings, there were significant socioeconomic inequities despite the implementation of universal health coverage frameworks. The facilitators were universal health coverage, community-based interventions, and targeted reforms. Prominent trends of pro-rich utilization and gender disparities dominated, while equity-sensitive policies revealed success in closing healthcare gaps. Concentration indices had a significant inequity with moderate CI: 0.062 to high CI: 0.29. Conclusion . The study shows multifaceted effects of socioeconomic determinants on access to health care, and there is a need for context-specific and equity-sensitive policies. There is a requirement to overcome financial and geographic barriers, improve health literacy, and integrate community-driven approaches in achieving universal healthcare accessibility.