Megumi Rosenberg and colleagues argue for standardised survey questions and improved data collection on unmet need, particularly in lower income countries
During the covid-19 pandemic, nearly one fifth of households in 39 low and middle income countries did not access healthcare when needed because of fear of contracting covid-19, movement restrictions, or financial constraints.1 Even in high income settings, estimates suggest almost half of young Europeans aged 18-29 had unmet needs for mental healthcare during the pandemic.2 We define unmet need as the presence of healthcare needs for which people do not or cannot receive quality healthcare.3 This may lead to poor health outcomes, high spending, and productivity loss to individuals and society.
Despite its importance for ensuring people’s right to health, current efforts to measure how well a health system is delivering services do not include unmet need. In 2023, the 76th World Health Assembly adopted a resolution requesting the