Data / Rankings / Unmet need for medical care (cost, distance or waiting list) / EU countries

EU countries by unmet need for medical care (cost, distance or waiting list)

Estonia had the highest unmet need for medical care (cost, distance or waiting list) of 27 EU countries in 2016, at 15.3%. The Netherlands had the lowest, at 0.2%. The median was 1.7% and the figure for the European Union (27) was 2.8%. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

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Highest15.3Estonia
Lowest0.2Netherlands
Median1.727 EU countries
European Union (27)2.8History

Map of EU countries, 2016

Austria: 0.2 %Belgium: 2.5 %Bulgaria: 2.8 %Cyprus: 0.6 %Czechia: 0.7 %Germany: 0.3 %Denmark: 1.3 %Estonia: 15.3 %Spain: 0.5 %Finland: 4.1 %France: 1.3 %Greece: 13.1 %Croatia: 1.7 %Hungary: 1.3 %Ireland: 2.5 %Italy: 5.5 %Lithuania: 3.1 %Luxembourg: 0.4 %Latvia: 8.2 %Malta: 1 %Netherlands: 0.2 %Poland: 6.6 %Portugal: 2.4 %Romania: 6.5 %Sweden: 1.6 %Slovenia: 0.4 %Slovakia: 2.3 %
  • Under 0.5
  • 0.5 to 1.3
  • 1.3 to 2.5
  • 2.5 to 5.2
  • 5.2 and over
%, 2016. Source: Eurostat, Self-reported unmet needs for medical examination, too expensive, too far to travel or waiting list, aged 16 and over (hlth_silc_08). Boundaries: Natural Earth (public domain).

All EU countries, 2016

Estonia: 15.3 %Estonia15.3Greece: 13.1 %Greece13.1Latvia: 8.2 %Latvia8.2Poland: 6.6 %Poland6.6Romania: 6.5 %Romania6.5Italy: 5.5 %Italy5.5Finland: 4.1 %Finland4.1Lithuania: 3.1 %Lithuania3.1Bulgaria: 2.8 %Bulgaria2.8Belgium: 2.5 %Belgium2.5Ireland: 2.5 %Ireland2.5Portugal: 2.4 %Portugal2.4Slovakia: 2.3 %Slovakia2.3Croatia: 1.7 %Croatia1.7Sweden: 1.6 %Sweden1.6Denmark: 1.3 %Denmark1.3France: 1.3 %France1.3Hungary: 1.3 %Hungary1.3Malta: 1 %Malta1Czechia: 0.7 %Czechia0.7Cyprus: 0.6 %Cyprus0.6Spain: 0.5 %Spain0.5Luxembourg: 0.4 %Luxembourg0.4Slovenia: 0.4 %Slovenia0.4Germany: 0.3 %Germany0.3Austria: 0.2 %Austria0.2Netherlands: 0.2 %Netherlands0.2Estonia: 15.3 %Estonia15.3Greece: 13.1 %Greece13.1Latvia: 8.2 %Latvia8.2Poland: 6.6 %Poland6.6Romania: 6.5 %Romania6.5Italy: 5.5 %Italy5.5Finland: 4.1 %Finland4.1Lithuania: 3.1 %Lithuania3.1Bulgaria: 2.8 %Bulgaria2.8Belgium: 2.5 %Belgium2.5Ireland: 2.5 %Ireland2.5Portugal: 2.4 %Portugal2.4Slovakia: 2.3 %Slovakia2.3Croatia: 1.7 %Croatia1.7Sweden: 1.6 %Sweden1.6Denmark: 1.3 %Denmark1.3France: 1.3 %France1.3Hungary: 1.3 %Hungary1.3Malta: 1 %Malta1Czechia: 0.7 %Czechia0.7Cyprus: 0.6 %Cyprus0.6Spain: 0.5 %Spain0.5Luxembourg: 0.4 %Luxembourg0.4Slovenia: 0.4 %Slovenia0.4Germany: 0.3 %Germany0.3Austria: 0.2 %Austria0.2Netherlands: 0.2 %Netherlands0.2
%. Source: Eurostat, Self-reported unmet needs for medical examination, too expensive, too far to travel or waiting list, aged 16 and over (hlth_silc_08). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankEU countries2016 (%)Change on 2015
1Estonia15.3+2.6 pts
2Greece13.1+0.8 pts
3Latvia8.2-0.2 pts
4Poland6.6-0.7 pts
5Romania6.5-2.9 pts
6Italy5.5-1.7 pts
7Finland4.1-0.2 pts
8Lithuania3.1+0.2 pts
9Bulgaria2.8-1.9 pts
10Belgium2.5+0.1 pts
10Ireland2.5-0.2 pts
12Portugal2.4-0.6 pts
13Slovakia2.3+0.2 pts
14Croatia1.7-0.2 pts
15Sweden1.6+0.3 pts
16Denmark1.30 pts
16France1.3+0.1 pts
16Hungary1.3-1.3 pts
19Malta1+0.2 pts
20Czechia0.7-0.1 pts
21Cyprus0.6-0.9 pts
22Spain0.5-0.1 pts
23Luxembourg0.4-0.5 pts
23Slovenia0.4+0.2 pts
25Germany0.3-0.2 pts
26Austria0.2+0.1 pts
26Netherlands0.2+0.1 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Share of people aged 16 and over who say that in the previous 12 months they needed a medical examination or treatment and did not get it because it was too expensive, too far to travel or the waiting list was too long (EU statistics on income and living conditions, EU-SILC).

Self-reported, and measured over everyone aged 16 and over, not only those who needed care. Dental care is asked separately and is not included. The reference year is the survey year.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the EU countries are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Eurostat. Self-reported unmet needs for medical examination, too expensive, too far to travel or waiting list, aged 16 and over (hlth_silc_08). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/hlth_silc_08/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

Eurostat, European Commission. (2026). Self-reported unmet needs for medical examination, too expensive, too far to travel or waiting list, aged 16 and over (hlth_silc_08) (EU countries by unmet need for medical care (cost, distance or waiting list), 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/hlth_silc_08/default/table

MLA 9

Self-reported unmet needs for medical examination, too expensive, too far to travel or waiting list, aged 16 and over (hlth_silc_08), EU countries by unmet need for medical care (cost, distance or waiting list), 2016. Eurostat, European Commission, 17 Sept. 2026, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/hlth_silc_08/default/table. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unmet-need-for-medical-care/eu-countries?period=2016. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Eurostat, European Commission. 2026. Self-reported unmet needs for medical examination, too expensive, too far to travel or waiting list, aged 16 and over (hlth_silc_08). EU countries by unmet need for medical care (cost, distance or waiting list), 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/hlth_silc_08/default/table. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unmet-need-for-medical-care/eu-countries?period=2016.

Harvard

Eurostat, European Commission (2026) Self-reported unmet needs for medical examination, too expensive, too far to travel or waiting list, aged 16 and over (hlth_silc_08), EU countries by unmet need for medical care (cost, distance or waiting list), 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/hlth_silc_08/default/table, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unmet-need-for-medical-care/eu-countries?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{eurostat_eu_countries_by_unmet_2016,
  author = {{Eurostat, European Commission}},
  title = {{Self-reported unmet needs for medical examination, too expensive, too far to travel or waiting list, aged 16 and over (hlth\_silc\_08): EU countries by unmet need for medical care (cost, distance or waiting list), 2016}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/hlth_silc_08/default/table},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unmet-need-for-medical-care/eu-countries?period=2016. Publisher attribution: Eurostat. Self-reported unmet needs for medical examination, too expensive, too far to travel or waiting list, aged 16 and over (hlth\_silc\_08). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/hlth\_silc\_08/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - Eurostat, European Commission
TI  - Self-reported unmet needs for medical examination, too expensive, too far to travel or waiting list, aged 16 and over (hlth_silc_08): EU countries by unmet need for medical care (cost, distance or waiting list), 2016
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/17
PB  - Eurostat, European Commission
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/hlth_silc_08/default/table
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unmet-need-for-medical-care/eu-countries?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unmet-need-for-medical-care/eu-countries?period=2016.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Eurostat. Self-reported unmet needs for medical examination, too expensive, too far to travel or waiting list, aged 16 and over (hlth_silc_08). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/hlth_silc_08/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank EU countries by unmet need for medical care (cost, distance or waiting list) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which EU country has the highest unmet need for medical care (cost, distance or waiting list)?

Estonia, with 15.3% in 2016, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which EU country has the lowest unmet need for medical care (cost, distance or waiting list)?

The Netherlands, with 0.2% in 2016.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Eurostat, European Commission, Self-reported unmet needs for medical examination, too expensive, too far to travel or waiting list, aged 16 and over (hlth_silc_08). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Unmet need for medical care (cost, distance or waiting list): other rankings

EU countries: more rankings