Does stronger primary care improve access to health services for persons with spinal cord injury? Evidence from eleven European countries

This study looked at whether having good primary care doctors helps people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) get the healthcare they need. It checked information from over 6,000 adults with SCI in eleven European countries. The study found that in countries with stronger primary care systems, people with SCI were less likely to report problems getting healthcare. The most common problem reported was not having services available. The research suggests that improving primary care could make it easier for people with SCI to access the healthcare services they require, especially regarding the availability of such services.

• 1
  Twelve percent of participants reported unmet healthcare needs, with the highest percentage in Poland (25%) and the lowest in Switzerland and Spain (7%).
• 2
  The most prevalent access restriction was service unavailability (7%).
• 3
  Stronger primary care was associated with lower odds of reporting unmet healthcare needs, service unavailability, unaffordability and unacceptability.