Table 1 Definitions of the 5 main components of the Tanahashi model to achieve equity in effective access to care (11).
Component | Definition |
|---|---|
Availability | Understood as availability of programme or care centre services, human resources, equipment, supplies, infrastructure and information; that is, the number or density of health centres and personnel (age, sex, expressions used, language) or the availability of technology, which can become barriers or facilitators. |
Accessibility | Associated with physical accessibility such as distance, connectivity, and existence and transportation time; organizational/administrative, related to administrative requirements for health care and the modality to obtain hours and schedules of health care; and financial, related to the cost of transportation, out-of-pocket expenses and loss of earnings at work. Even if all the necessary resources are available, the service must be located within a reasonable distance from the people who should benefit from it. |
Acceptability of services | Depends on the perception of benefits, influenced by social, cultural and religious factors, beliefs, norms and values, treatment and privacy. Once the service is accessible, it must still be acceptable to the population. Otherwise, people will not come for it and may seek alternative care. If the potential user accepts the service, this is one more step in providing health services. |
Contact with the service | The continuity of care given by adapting health services to the patient and quality of care. It is the contact between the service provider and the user. |
Global perceptions of effective Coverage | People who receive effective care. Contact between the service provider and the user does not always guarantee successful intervention related to the user’s health problem or an effective service. |
