Unmet healthcare needs and the local extinction index: an analysis of regional disparities impacting South Korea’s older adults

Abstract

4## Discussion Recent research on regional health disparities extends beyond identifying gaps to understanding their impact on residents’ well-being. Prior studies commonly visualized changes in depopulating regions without fully explaining local health disparities. Furthermore, research on unmet healthcare needs typically focused on individuals and overlooked structural influences such as social and economic contexts, resulting in a limited understanding. This study is novel in that it integrates Andersen’s healthcare utilization model and incorporates individual and regional factors to compr