Barriers to Healthcare
Most of us have a certain understanding of what happens when we get injured. Typically, we first call an ambulance and explain the situation. Then, we get transported to the hospital to get treated. And finally we go through a recovery period.
Although it sounds simple to follow, obtaining access to healthcare isn’t necessarily that easy. There are many barriers certain groups of people face when trying to get healthcare treatment. In today’s blogspot, we will go over some barriers people face when trying to get healthcare.
The first barrier to healthcare is provider stereotyping, which is when the provider may assume things about the patient based on their appearance or faith. This can lead to a barrier in the quality of healthcare received by a patient. According to an article published by the national institute of health, research shows that when a healthcare provider stereotypes a patient, the patient can sense the bias and feels dissatisfied with their care. This feeling of dissatisfaction can lead to harmful health effects; for example, patients may avoid seeking healthcare treatment. If the patient feels unwelcome or devalued, it is only natural to avoid the situation entirely.
The communication between a patient and a healthcare provider can also be impacted by stereotyping. Communication is essential between the patient and provider since the provider must know the background of the patient such as medical history, habits, and symptoms. Stereotyping greatly hinders this communication, especially if the patient is uncomfortable conversing freely with the provider or if the patient wishes to present themselves in a manner that refutes the stereotype.
For example, a patient of south Asian heritage visits a healthcare provider. The healthcare provider is aware of the stereotype about the positive correlation among south asians and diabetes and stereotypes the current patient in this manner. In an attempt to portray their image to counter this stereotype, the patient may lie about their exercise regimen and diet. Since the provider does not have a completely truthful evaluation of the patient, problems may arise later on.
Next, and largely overlooked, is geography, which occurs when there’s a lack of healthcare facilities near a patient's area and a lack of transport to these facilities. This can cause numerous issues to patients.
Suppose a patient lived in Montana, the fourth largest state in the U.S. Although the state has a lot of land, the average travel time to the closest hospital is the highest in the country, about 16 minutes according to PEW Research. That may not sound too bad, but keep in mind that this is an average and that it's very likely that some people have to travel at least an hour to reach the closest hospital (Pew Research). Residents in the Northern Plains have the longest travel times to hospitals than those of any other region. If the patient had an emergency, the amount of time it takes to get to the hospital might be the difference between life or death.
When gaining access to healthcare, there are numerous barriers that people face. Costs of healthcare, language, provider stereotyping, and geography are only a few to name. As future healthcare providers, it is important to recognize these barriers and help eliminate them.
By: Sreenidhi Saripalli
