The 'inverse care law' in health services research, first described by Julian Tudor Hart (1971), states that:
- A The more a patient requires medical care, the less likely they are to be compliant with treatment
- B The availability of good medical care tends to vary inversely with the need for it in the population served ✓
- C Increasing healthcare expenditure inversely correlates with population health outcomes
- D Preventive services are inversely related to curative services in health budget allocation
Correct answer: B. The availability of good medical care tends to vary inversely with the need for it in the population served
Explanation
The Inverse Care Law states that 'the availability of good medical care tends to vary inversely with the need for it in the population served' — i.e., those who most need health care (the poor, rural, marginalised) receive the least, while the wealthy receive the most. This is particularly prominent in market-driven healthcare systems. It is a fundamental equity concept in social medicine and the rationale for targeted public health programmes.
Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.