Four out of hundred women and two out of hundred men in Iceland did not see a doctor when needed due to cost in 2015, or about 8 thousand people in total. Around 6% of people in the lowest income quintile did not see a doctor due to cost compared with 1% of people in the highest income quintile.
Compared to other European countries, it is more common in Iceland for people not to see a doctor due to cost, according to the latest comparable data from 2014. That year about 3% of inhabitants in Iceland skipped a doctor‘s visit due to cost ranking the sixth highest in Europe.
It is estimated that around 25 thousand people, approximately 10% of adults in Iceland, did not see a dentist when needed due to cost in 2015, about 11 thousand men and 14 thousand women. People with lower income are more likely to report cost as the reason for not going to the dentist than people in the highest income quintile.
Compared to other European countries the group that doesn’t see a dentist when needed for some reason is relatively large in Iceland. The share of women that did not go to a dentist due to cost was the fourth highest in Europe and among men the fifth highest.
One in every four unemployed people in Iceland did not go to a dentist due to cost in 2014, 23% of women and 26% of men, which is the fourth highest proportion in Europe for both sexes. In second place were those who are of working age but not active in the labour market, e.g. students, people with disabilities and homemakers. Of women in Iceland outside the labour force, 17% didn’t see a dentist due to cost in 2014, sharing the top seat in Europe with women in Portugal and Latvia. Among men outside the labour force, 13% skipped a dentist’s appointment in Iceland which was the second highest share in Europe after Latvia (18%).
Social indicators: Economy and health services 2015 - Statistical Series