The Determinants of Transition Between Levels of Access to Health Services in Türkiye

Health systems are still trying to improve access to healthcare services by eliminating existing barriers. This study aims to investigate the determinants of healthcare access mobility in Türkiye by examining the probability of socio‐economic cohorts shifting from medium to low and medium to high access strata over time across repeated cross‐sectional data sets. A healthcare access index was constructed utilizing nationally representative data from the Turkish Statistical Institute Health Surveys for 2014, 2016, 2019, and 2022. Probit models were used to identify the effect of factors influencing transitions in the levels of access. The findings revealed that gender, age, marital status, income, education, and health status significantly affected the transition between the levels of access. Notably, higher household income categories continuously and significantly increase the probability of shifting into the lower healthcare access stratum over time, while their positive impact on upward mobility toward the highest level of access remains critically constrained. These findings may reflect the potential influence of structural or supply‐side factors within the healthcare system. The results highlighted inequalities and limited upward transition in access, pointing to systemic challenges within the Turkish health system. These findings provide significant insights for policymakers aiming to enhance equitable and sustainable access to healthcare services.