The Bulletin of the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences № 1/2026. Economics and Management.

Olga A. Kislitsyna

Dr. Sci. (Econ.), Chief Researcher, Institute of Economics of the RAS, Moscow, Russia

ORCID: 0000-0002-4144-237X

UNMET NEEDS OF RUSSIANS FOR MEDICAL CARE: LEVEL AND FACTORS

71-86

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The aim of this study, which forms the basis of the article, is to assess the level of unmet medical needs in Russia and the factors associated with them. The analysis is based on data from the 2021 International Social Survey Programme (ISSP), the most recent representative data available on this topic. Unmet need was measured by asking whether respondents had, in the past 12 months, been unable to receive necessary medical care due to issues of accessibility (cost), availability (waiting time), or acceptability (time constraints). Waiting time was the most frequently reported reason. Individuals with health problems, as well as young people, were more likely to experience unmet needs for all reasons. Women, single individuals, residents of small towns, and people with low socioeconomic status or without insurance more often faced financial barriers; employed residents of large cities using alternative medicine reported time-related barriers; and people with secondary or higher education, low socioeconomic status, urban residents, and users of traditional or alternative medicine experienced barriers due to waiting times. The identified patterns highlight the need for policies aimed at improving equal access to medical care and the efficiency of the healthcare system.

Keywords: unmet health care needs, causes of unmet health care needs, International Social Survey Program (ISSP), Russia.

JEL: I12, I14, I18

EDN: YMWLHQ

DOI: https://doi.org/10.52180/2073-6487_2026_1_71_86  

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Manuscript submission date: 11.11.2025

Manuscript acceptance date: 24.02.2026

For citation:

Kislitsyna O.A. Unmet needs of Russians for medical care: level and factors // Vestnik Instituta Ekonomiki Rossiyskoy Akademii Nauk. 2026. № 1. Pp. 71-86. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.52180/2073-6487_2026_1_71_86 EDN: YMWLHQ

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