Income and Health Dynamics in Vietnam: Poverty Reductions, Increased Health Inequality

Thang M. Nguyen, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Barry M. Popkin, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Over the past decade, Vietnam has experienced a dramatic economic reform that has led to considerable poverty reduction. Nevertheless, these improvements have largely favored those with higher incomes so that health inequality has significantly increased as well. This study shows that the poor are less able to access health care services, both preventive and curative and also less likely to have health insurance coverage than the rich. Health improvements favor the rich. The growing non-public private sector located mainly in urban areas is less accessible for the poor. Government financing of health accounts for a small percentage and this subsidy disproportionately benefits the non-poor.