Public health services and health care utilization in Viet Nam

Abstract

The main objectives of this paper are to review policies on health services and to provide an assessment of public health facilities and the access of people to health care services in Vietnam. Medical facilities and staffs in public establishments have been increasing. Health insurance has been expanded rapidly in the recent years. It is very encouraging that the poor and ethnic minority are more likely to be enrolled in health insurance than other people. In addition, we find that health insurance helps the insured increase health care utilization and reduce out-of-pocket spending. The density of medical staffs is also positively correlated with outpatient health care utilization. However, the quality of health care services and the access to health care services remain limited in poor, remote and mountainous areas.Health policy, health insurance, health care, Vietnam