Table 1. Access to healthcare framework.

Concept	Definition
Five dimensions of accessibility (Supply side)
Approachability	refers to the fact that the existing health services can be identified and reached by people facing health needs
Availability	relates to the physical existence of health services
Affordability	reflects the prices of health services and capacity of people to spend resources and time on the services
Acceptability	refers to whether or not health services provided for people are culturally and socially acceptable
Appropriateness	refers to the extent to which the health services serve the needs of the people
Five corresponding abilities (Demand side)
Ability to perceive	refers to people’s knowledge about health and health services available for them
Ability to seek	refers to individual capacity to choose to seek health services.
Ability to reach	refers to the ability of individuals facing health needs to have the knowledge of health services and physical capacity (e.g., transport for mobility) to reach healthcare facilities where the health services are available.
Ability to pay	refers to economic capacity of each individual to pay for healthcare services, and
Ability to engage	relates to the participation of individuals in decision making about the access to health services

Source: adapted from Levesque et al [36].