Vulnerability and barriers to access to health services

To identify differences in the barriers to access health services between the population with and without vulnerable conditions based on the results of the Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutricion Continua 2023 (Ensanut Con-tinua 2023). Material and methods. Four categories of vulnerability were defined between the population with health needs that did not seek care and users of health ser-vices who went to institutions that did not correspond to them. The reasons for not requesting care and for requesting care in an institution that did not correspond to them were grouped by type of access barrier. The differences between the barriers reported according to the vulnerability category were analyzed, as well as the expenditure to address health needs. Results. Regardless of their vulnerable situation, an important part of the population must overcome barriers to seek or obtain the care they require. The most frequent barriers were personal and organizational. The population with more vulnerable conditions reported more personal and economic barriers. Conclusions. To advance in the satisfaction of the right to health, it is necessary to strengthen the organizational capacity of health services to improve their availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality, and reduce the vulnerability conditions of the population.