Table 3 Operational definitions of the five equity dimensions
Equity Dimensions | Standard descriptors |
|---|---|
Availability | - unavailability of the drug (at the pharmacy / hospital) |
- unavailability of agenda for consultation/exam appointment | |
- opening hours of the health care institution are not convenient | |
- unavailability of specialized consultation / examination / physical therapy in due time | |
- unavailability of specialized medical transport (ambulance to transport patients for treatment) | |
- illiteracy regarding the services provided by the health institution | |
- other (please describe) | |
Accessibility | - inexistence of primary health care centers / laboratories / physical therapy clinics |
- long distance to the assigned health care / physical therapy site | |
- inexistence of public transportation to the assigned health care / physical therapy site | |
- the health care center does not prioritize services that specifically address the local population’s demographics and needs | |
- patient does not have openness to talk about sensitive issues such as mental health problems, substance use, and experiences of violence | |
- other (please describe) | |
Affordability | - high costs of transportation to the assigned health care / physical therapy site |
- high cost of the medication / treatments prescribed | |
- high cost of the exam prescribed | |
- high cost of the consultation (user fees) | |
- other (please describe) | |
Quality | - long waiting time at the consultation / examination site |
- long time between the appointment and the consultation / examination | |
- unfriendliness of the health care professional / administrative team | |
- bad physical conditions of the health care site | |
- scheduling error | |
- unsatisfactory previous experience | |
- other (please describe) | |
Acceptability | - lack of trust in the health professional |
- the doctor did not refer for the examination, consultation of specialty or other care service the patient expected | |
- beliefs/myths of the patient that are contrary to medical science | |
- lack of spaces for interactions that are physically, emotionally, and culturally safe in the health care site | |
- the patient had not understood the purpose of the prescribed treatment | |
- in the absence of observable clinical findings, the concerns of the patient were not valued | |
- other (please describe) |