So far, limited research has been done on inequity and inequality in health care utilisation in Indonesia.
As anywhere else in the world, wealth and education are unequally distributed over the population. Need of
health care is a major determinant which should affect use to health services. Using data from the 1997
Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey and the concentration index approach, models of access to
preventive care in children age 12-23 months, pregnancy related care for mothers as well as curative care
for children five years old or less is estimated. Asset scores are used to analyse whether health care
utilisation of children and mothers is correlated to household wealth.
Significant inequity has been found in the utilisation of health care by wealth. Access to preventive care
for children immunisation and pregnancy related care (tetanus injection, first visit for antenatal care, place
for antenatal care, place for delivery, professional assistance for delivery) as well as curative care (medical
treatment for diarrhoea and ARI) tend to be significantly different by household wealth. Wealthier mothers
use more health services than poorer mothers do. An exception to this rule is treatment for diarrhoea and
ARI. This may be explained by measurement error. Need (health care), urban-rural residence and education
are confounding that are found to reduce the concentration indices for use. Horizontal equity principle is
violated, in the sense that mothers in equal need are found to be treated unequally.