Resumen

This paper highlights issues that contribute to persisting inequalities in access to health care of vulnerable groups in the broader European region, including countries of the European Union (EU), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), and selected countries of Central Asia. It focusses on key determinants of vulnerability, primarily labour market impacts such as income, employment, and related gaps in access to social protection, and to social health protection in particular. Moreover, it concentrates on stratification of vulnerability looking at specific population groups, including women, the elderly, migrants, and ethnic groups, mainly Roma, who are often disadvantaged in regard with determinants of vulnerability as focused on here. Special attention is also given to rural and urban inequities.