Barbados: UHC service coverage index

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2023, Barbados' UHC service coverage index did not change 0 on 2022 (from 82 to 82).

Across the 22 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2022), the average change was +0.23 and a typical year strayed about 0.92 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 2 in 2011 and the biggest yearly fall was 2 in 2020. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2014 to 2023 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 10% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2023, Barbados had the 38th highest value of the 193 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Barbados in the 2023 ranking

• Luxembourg — 35th of 193: 83
• Portugal — 36th of 193: 83
• Saudi Arabia — 37th of 193: 83
• Colombia — 39th of 193: 82
• France — 40th of 193: 82
• Ireland — 41st of 193: 82

What this measures

A composite index representing coverage of essential health services based on 14 tracer indicators in the areas of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, infectious diseases, noncommunicable diseases and service capacity and access. It is presented on a scale of 0 to 100 index points.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 24 values

UHC service coverage index in nearby economies

• Antigua and Barbuda — 81 (2023)
• Argentina — 80 (2023)
• Bahamas, The — 80 (2023)
• Belize — 70 (2023)
• Bolivia — 67 (2023)
• Brazil — 84 (2023)
• Chile — 84 (2023)
• Colombia — 82 (2023)
• Costa Rica — 84 (2023)
• Cuba — 86 (2023)
• Dominica — 75 (2023)
• Dominican Republic

More health data for Barbados

• Population ages 00-04, female (% of female population) — 5.23% (2025)
• Population ages 00-04, male (% of male population) — 5.86% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, female — 23,719 (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, female (% of female population) — 16.12% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, male — 24,507 (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, male (% of male population) — 18.08% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, total — 48,226 (2025)
• Population ages 0-14 (% of total population) — 17.06% (2025)
• Population ages 05-09, female (% of female population) — 5.35% (2025)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Barbados's UHC service coverage index?

82 in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2000?

It is up 6.49% from 77 in 2000 (0.27% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 83 in 2015 and the lowest 77 in 2000.

How does Barbados rank?

38th highest of 193 economies with data for 2023.

Is the latest change in UHC service coverage index unusual for Barbados?

In 2023, Barbados' UHC service coverage index did not change 0 on 2022 (from 82 to 82). Across the 22 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2022), the average change was +0.23 and a typical year strayed about 0.92 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SH_UHC_SCI, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Universal Health Coverage Dataset, World Health Organization (WHO), uri: https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/uhc-index-of-service-coverage Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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