scholarly journals How do socio-economic factors and distance predict access to prevention and rehabilitation services in a Danish municipality?

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (06) ◽  
pp. 578-585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anette L. Hindhede ◽  
Ane Bonde ◽  
Jasper Schipperijn ◽  
Stine H. Scheuer ◽  
Susanne M. Sørensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
Catchment Area ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Economic Vulnerability ◽  
Initial Appointment ◽  
Planned Activities

AimThe aim was to explore the extent to which a Danish prevention centre catered to marginalised groups within the catchment area. We determined whether the district’s socio-economic vulnerability status and distance from the citizens’ residential sector to the centre influenced referrals of citizens to the centre, their attendance at initial appointment, and completion of planned activities at the centre.BackgroundDisparities in access to health care services is one among many aspects of inequality in health. There are multiple determinants within populations (socio-economic status, ethnicity, and education) as well as the health care systems (resource availability and cultural acceptability).MethodsA total of 347 participants referred to the centre during a 10-month period were included. For each of 44 districts within the catchment area, the degree of socio-economic vulnerability was estimated based on the citizens’ educational level, ethnicity, income, and unemployment rate. A socio-economic vulnerability score (SE-score) was calculated. Logistic regression was used to calculate the probability that a person was referred to the centre, attended the initial appointment, and completed the planned activities, depending on sex, age, SE-score of district of residence, and distance to the centre.FindingsCitizens from locations with a high socio-economic vulnerability had increased probability of being referred by general practitioners, hospitals, and job centres. Citizens living further away from the prevention centre had a reduced probability of being referred by their general practitioners. After referral, there was no difference in probability of attendance or completion as a function of SE-score or distance between the citizens’ district and the centre. In conclusion, the centre is capable of attracting referrals from districts where the need is likely to be relatively high in terms of socio-economic vulnerability, whereas distance reduced the probability of referral. No differences were found in attendance or completion.

scholarly journals The history of refugee and newcomer health care in Canada

2020 ◽  
pp. 46-48
Author(s):  
Austyn Roseborough ◽  
Roger Hudson
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Medical Needs ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
History Of

Canada represents a global leader in refugee resettlement, having embraced an identity of multiculturalism that promotes the acceptance of newcomers. A crucial factor in facilitating post-arrival integration of newcomers into Canadian society is the maintenance of good health through the provision of adequate health care services. Throughout the past century, there has been an increase in the number of refugees in Canada, beginning largely in the post-World War period and extending into the second half of the twentieth century. This influx has required the development of health care systems and coverage specific to unique post-arrival medical needs of refugees. The history of refugee health care has been shaped by both policy and advocacy on behalf of refugees, resulting in a larger breadth of coverage today than ever before. This article summarizes the evolution of health care services provided to refugees, challenges that particular populations of refugees have faced in accessing care, and suggestions for continued improvements in refugee access to health care services.

scholarly journals People Centeredness, Chronic Conditions and Diversity Sensitive eHealth: Exploring Emancipation of the ‘Health Care System’ and the ‘Patient’ in Health Informatics

Life ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 329
Author(s):  
Lars Botin ◽  
Pernille S. Bertelsen ◽  
Lars Kayser ◽  
Paul Turner ◽  
Sidsel Villumsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Health Informatics ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
User Engagement ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
Care System

Health care systems struggle to consistently deliver integrated high-quality, safe, and patient-centered care to all in an economically sustainable manner. Inequity of access to health care services and variation in diagnostic and treatment outcomes are common. Further, as health care systems become ever more complex, iatrogenesis and counter productivity have emerged as real dangers. In exploring this paradox, this paper considers a subset of those in society living with chronic conditions. Their attributes and circumstances have led to them being marginalized or excluded from ‘end-user’ engagement and/or from their requirements being incorporated into technology supported chronic disease management initiatives. Significantly, these citizens are often the most vulnerable and socially disadvantaged and tend to achieve poorer results and cost more per capita than the ‘average patient’ in their interactions with the health care system. Critically, this paper argues that a truly people-centered technology supported chronic care system can only be designed by understanding and responding to the needs, attributes and capabilities of the most vulnerable in society. This paper suggests innovative ways of supporting interactions with these ‘end-users’ and highlights how reflection on these approaches can contribute to emancipating the health system to move towards more socially inclusive eHealth solutions.

scholarly journals Economic crisis and counter-reform of universal health care systems: Spanish case

2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulo Antônio de Carvalho Fortes ◽  
Regina Ribeiro Parizi Carvalho ◽  
Marília Cristina Prado Louvison
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Universal Health Care ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Universal Health

The economic crisis that has been affecting Europe in the 21st century has modified social protection systems in the countries that adopted, in the 20th century, universal health care system models, such as Spain. This communication presents some recent transformations, which were caused by changes in Spanish law. Those changes relate to the access to health care services, mainly in regards to the provision of care to foreigners, to financial contribution from users for health care services, and to pharmaceutical assistance. In crisis situations, reforms are observed to follow a trend which restricts rights and deepens social inequalities.

Health Across Borders: Addressing Mixtec Health in a Binational Context

2003 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konane Martínez
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Health Care Needs ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Migrant Communities ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
Utilization Patterns

Two years of fieldwork with Mixtec families in California has underscored the importance of a binational perspective in addressing the health care needs of California's immigrant and migrant farmworkers. My fieldwork with these transnational farm workers and their migrant/immigrant communities focuses on the clinical health care systems utilized by Mixtec migrants in Ixpantepec Nieves, Oaxaca, and North County San Diego, California. Utilization patterns and access to health care is better understood by observing the ways in which migrants interface with systems in both California and Mexico. Ethnographic and survey methodologies have proved to be beneficial in understanding the entire gamut of conditions affecting access and utilization of health care services for Mixtec Families. In this article I examine the benefits of doing binational research with Mixtec families and the implications of this type of method for policy questions addressing the clinical health care needs of immigrant and migrant communities.

scholarly journals Stroke Knowledge in Spanish-Speaking Populations

2015 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 121-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maximiliano A. Hawkes ◽  
Sebastián F. Ameriso ◽  
Joshua Z. Willey
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Stroke Care ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
Stroke Knowledge

Background: Spanish is the second most-spoken language in the world. Spanish-speaking populations (SSP) have heterogeneous cultural backgrounds, racial and ethnical origins, economic status, and access to health care systems. There are no published reviews about stroke knowledge in SSP. We reviewed the existing literature addressing stroke knowledge among SSP and propose here some future directions for research. Summary: We identified 18 suitable studies by searching PubMed, Lilacs, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane and Scielo databases, and by looking at reference lists of eligible articles. We also included 2 conference abstracts. Data related to stroke knowledge from studies of Spanish-speakers were analyzed. Key Messages: Little is known about stroke knowledge in SSP, especially in Latin America. Information is lacking even among subjects at risk, stroke patients, stroke survivors, and health care providers. ‘Ictus', the word used for stroke in Spanish, is largely unrecognized among subjects at risk. Furthermore, access to medical care and the availability of neurologists are suboptimal in many regions. There are several potential issues to solve regarding stroke knowledge and stroke care in SSP. Programs to educate the general population and non-neurologists medical providers in stroke and telemedicine may be better ways of improving the present situation.

scholarly journals Screening for psychiatric morbidity in the population - a comparison of the GHQ-12 and self-reported medication use

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Foteini Tseliou ◽  
Michael Donnelly ◽  
Dermot O'Reilly
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Older People ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Medication Use ◽  
Screening Tools ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
Population Mental Health

IntroductionUptake of psychotropic medication has been previously used as a proxy for assessing the prevalence of population mental health morbidity. However, it is not known how this compares with estimates derived from population screening tools. ObjectivesTo compare estimates of psychiatric morbidity derived by a validated screening instrument of psychiatric morbidity and a self-reported medication uptake measure. MethodsThis study used data from two recent population-wide health surveys in Northern Ireland, a country (UK) with free health services and no prescription charges. The psychiatric morbidity of 7,489 respondents was assessed using the GHQ-12 and self-reported use of medication for stress, anxiety and depression (sDAS medication). ResultsOverall, 19% of respondents were defined as ‘cases’ and 14.3% were taking sDAS medication. Generally, the two methods identified the same population distributions of characteristics that were associated with psychiatric morbidity though nearly as many non-cases as cases received sDAS medication (46.4% vs. 53.6%). A greater proportion of women and older people were identified as cases according to sDAS medication use, while no such variation was observed between socio-economic status and method of assessment. ConclusionsThis study indicates that these two methods of assessing population psychiatric morbidity provide similar estimates, despite potentially identifying different individuals as cases. It is important to note that different health care systems might be linked to variations in obstacles when accessing and using health care services. Highlights There was a reasonable correspondence between the different methods of assessment. A greater proportion of women and older people were identified as cases through the self-reported use of medication. An almost equal amount of GHQ-12 cases and non-cases reported being in receipt of medication.

scholarly journals Is It Time to Consider Implementation of Telemedicine in Current Oral Health Care Services?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Betul Ilhan ◽  
Ibrahim Sevki Bayrakdar ◽  
Oguzhan Baydar ◽  
Pelin Guneri
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Delayed Diagnosis ◽  
Oral Health Care ◽  
Noncommunicable Diseases ◽  
Communication Tool ◽  
Chronic Respiratory Diseases

Abstract Telemedicine offers an excellent opportunity to provide continuing health care for those in need during local/global pandemics and disasters. It provides a safe and effective communication tool between health professionals and can be used as “forward triage” to manage medical/dental emergencies and to minimize the contact between the patients and clinicians during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Patients with noncommunicable diseases, like cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, or chronic respiratory diseases, may present with critical health problems due to less access to health care systems during global disasters; opportunities for screening oral mucosa might be significantly disrupted, leading to delayed diagnosis of malignant/potentially malignant lesions. Telemedicine and oral health care associated mobile applications should be implemented to provide equal access to care, to eliminate unnecessary visits to health centers, and to improve practical coordination between professionals and health facilities.

Beveridge, Bismarck and Southern European Health Care Systems: Can We Decide Which is the Best in EU-15? A Statistical Analysis

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
Angeliki Moisidou
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Empirical Analysis ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Economic Cost ◽  
Care Systems

A statistical analysis has been conducted with the aim to elucidate the effect of health care systems (HSs) on health inequalities assessed in terms of (a) differential access to health care services and (b) varying health outcomes among different models of HSs in EU-15 ((Beveridge: UK, IE, SE, FI, DK), (Bismarck: DE, FR, BE, LU, AT, NL), (Southern European model: GR, IT, ES, PT)). In the effort to interpret the results of the empirical analysis, we have ascertained systematic differences among the HSs in EU-15. Specifically, it is concluded that countries with Beveridge HS can be characterized more efficient (than average) in the most examined correlations, showing particularly high performance in the health sector. Similarly, countries with Bismarck HS record fairly satisfactory performance, but simultaneously they display more structural weaknesses compared with the Beveridge model. In addition, our empirical analysis has shown that adopting Bismarck model requires higher economic cost, compared with the Beveridge model, which is directly financed by taxation. On the contrary, in the countries with Southern European HS, the lowest performances are generally identified, which can be attributed to the residual social protection that characterizes these countries. The paper concludes with a synthesis of the empirical findings of our research. It proposes some directions for further research and presents a set of implications for policymakers regarding the planning and implementation of appropriate policies in order to tackle health inequality within HSs.

“PHONE-CONNECT” - A Pilot Program Prescribing Phones to Address Digital Health Equity Needs in the COVID-19 Era (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gill Kazevman ◽  
Marck Mercado ◽  
Jennifer Hulme ◽  
Andrea Somers
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Health Care Intervention ◽  
Care Intervention

UNSTRUCTURED Vulnerable populations have been identified as having higher infection rates and poorer COVID-19 related outcomes, likely due to their inability to readily access primary care, follow public health directives and adhere to self-isolation guidelines. As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many health care services have adopted new digital solutions, relying on phone and internet connectivity. Yet, persons who are digitally inaccessible, such as those struggling with poverty or homelessness, are often unable to utilize these services. In response to this newly highlighted social disparity known as “digital health inequity”, emergency physicians at the University Health Network, Toronto, initiated a program called “PHONE CONNECT”. This novel approach attempts to improve patients’ access to health care, information and social services, as well as improve their ability to adhere to public health directives (social isolation and contact tracing). While similar programs addressing the same emerging issues have been recently described in the media, this is the first time phones are provided as a health care intervention in an emergency department. This innovative ED point-of-care intervention may have a significant impact on improving the health outcomes for vulnerable people during the COVID-19 pandemic, and even beyond it.

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