SUMMARY
So far, limited research has been done on inequity and inequality in health care utilisation in Indonesia. As anywhere else in the world, wealth and education are unequally distributed over the population. Need of health care is a major determinant which should affect use to health services. Using data from the 1997 Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey and the concentration index approach, models of access to preventive care in children age 12-23 months, pregnancy related care for mothers as well as curative care for children five years old or less is estimated. Asset scores are used to analyse whether health care utilisation of children and mothers is correlated to household wealth. Significant inequity has been found in the utilisation of health care by wealth. Access to preventive care for children immunisation and pregnancy related care (tetanus injection, first visit for antenatal care, place for antenatal care, place for delivery, professional assistance for delivery) as well as curative care (medical treatment for diarrhoea and ARJ) tend to be significantly different by household wealth. Wealthier mothers use more health services than poorer mothers do. An exception to this rule is treatment for diarrhoea and ARI. This may be explained by measurement error. Need (health care), urban-rural residence and education are confounding that are found to reduce the concentration indices for use. Horizontal equity principle is violated, in the sense that mothers in equal need are found to be treated unequally.