OBJECTIVES

: Access to healthcare remains a major problem in developing countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of healthcare access on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in the Tunisian population.

METHODS

: Data were collected from a representative sample of the Tunisian population (n=287). The respondents reported the health status using the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire. Physical accessibility, financial affordability, healthcare acceptability, health coverage and sociodemographic factors were explored in a questionnaire. Regression analyses were used to estimate the impact of access to health care on HRQoL.

RESULTS

: Multivariate analyses showed that financial affordability (coefficient = -0.06, p<0.05), healthcare acceptability ( coefficient = 0.01, p<0.05), physical accessibility assessed in time spent by minutes to reach the healthcare facility (coefficient = - 0.0009, p<0.05) had a significant impact on HRQoL.

CONCLUSIONS

: Financial affordability, healthcare acceptability and physical accessibility are associated with statistically significant changes in HRQoL.