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ORCID ID

Banu Beyaz Sipahi: 0000-0002-5242-5049

Abstract

Background: Overweight and obesity are critical determinants of healthcare access, yet evidence on how the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped these dynamics in Türkiye remains limited. This study investigates whether the early post-pandemic recovery period altered healthcare access patterns for individuals with excess weight.

Methods: Using nationally representative microdata from the 2014, 2016, 2019, and 2022 Turkish Health Surveys, we constructed a latent Healthcare Access Index based on six indicators of unmet care needs. Probit models were estimated to assess associations between BMI categories and healthcare access, controlling for socioeconomic and demographic factors. The 2022 wave serves as the early post-pandemic recovery period.

Results: Overweight and obese individuals consistently exhibited a lower probability of healthcare access compared to normal-weight adults. However, the 2022 wave indicates a relative improvement in access for these groups, suggesting a partial recovery. These findings remain robust across gender and socioeconomic subgroups, highlighting persistent but narrowing disparities in the ability to obtain necessary care.

Conclusions: While individuals with excess weight in Türkiye faced significant barriers to accessing healthcare, early post-pandemic trends indicate partial recovery. Policies must prioritize reducing these disparities to ensure equitable access to essential services for vulnerable populations during post-crisis transitions.

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