Key words: universal health coverage, health equity, health inequalities, catastrophic health expenditure, vulnerability, unmet need

"Financial risk, vulnerability and equity of access to healthcare services in Kenya"

This dissertation is underpinned by the global call to achieve universal health coverage (UHC). It responds to the concerns on how best to ensure equity of access to healthcare services, while guaranteeing adequate protection for the most vulnerable against the financial costs of ill health. It focuses on the impact of lack of financial risk protection for individuals who use healthcare services and those who forgo healthcare services due to financial barriers. It starts by highlighting what is known on the extent of the financial risk gaps and the drivers of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) across Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) countries. Using Kenya as a case study, it adds to the knowledge and evidence on equity of access by examining the socioeconomic inequalities in financial risk protection and the factors that sustain these inequalities. In addition, it explores the cost-related barriers to access healthcare services and the effect of shocks on the ability of households to invest in healthcare.

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