Indicator 3.60 Self-reported unmet need for medical examination and care by sex

This 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’. Self-reported unmet needs concern a person’s own assessment of whether they needed medical examination or treatment (dental care excluded) but did not have it or did not seek it. Since social norms and expectations may affect responses to questions about unmet care needs, caution is required when comparing differences in the reporting of unmet medical examination across countries. In addition, the different organisation of health care services is another factor to consider when analysing the data. Finally, there are also some variations in the survey questions across countries and across time.

Indicator is used to monitor progress towards SDG 3 on good health and well-being and SDG 1 on no poverty as a multi-purpose indicator (MPI); which are embedded in the European Commission’s 2024-2029 Priorities under ‘Supporting people, strenghtening our societes and our social model’.

Indicator is included as a main indicator in the Social Scoreboard for the European Pillar of Social Rights. Universal health coverage is an objective of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. One of the three priorities of the EU’s health policy is increasing accessibility to healthcare. In addition, one of the 20 principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights is that everyone has the right to timely access to affordable, preventive and curative health care of good quality.

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