Decreased Access to Healthcare: HIV
Having adequate access to healthcare for those who live in the Southeast is often a large challenge due to rural areas and lack of transportation for many people. When assessing those who have contracted HIV this appeared to be an even greater problem because the majority of these patients are from poverty stricken backgrounds. By asking eight individuals four generalized questions, a general overview of access to healthcare was established.
The participants were asked four questions related to the healthcare received since diagnosis. The initial questions was, “Do you feel that access to healthcare is readily available to you?” Secondly, they were asked, “ How many times in the past year have you attend scheduled appointments with your primary healthcare provider (PCP)?” They were also asked if they had seen an infectious disease specialist since diagnosis and if they had ever been refused care.
Research shows that in HIV positive individuals, particularly in the Southeast United States, the most common barriers to access of care are transportation and distance from home to their PCP (Napravnik, Eron, McKaig, Heine, Menezes, & Ouinlivan, 2006). These two variables are very difficult to control or change. From a sample size of 1,997 participants, nearly 50% reported having to travel at least sixty miles to attend a visit with their PCP (Napravnik et al., 2006).
Possible methods of increasing access to healthcare would be to provide more in depth levels of education, such as classes when newly diagnosed with period updates. Research has been conducted on the use of a navigator to guide individuals through the management of HIV. Finally, patients should have access to support groups where it would be possible to discuss any concerns and receive input from someone who has already experienced this problem.
References
Napravnik, S., Eron, J. r., McKaig, R., Heine, A., Menezes, P., & Quinlivan, E. (2006). Factors associated with fewer visits for HIV primary care at a tertiary care center in the Southeastern U.S., AIDS Care, 18(1), 45-50.
Having adequate access to healthcare for those who live in the Southeast is often a large challenge due to rural areas and lack of transportation for many people. When assessing those who have contracted HIV this appeared to be an even greater problem because the majority of these patients are from poverty stricken backgrounds. By asking eight individuals four generalized questions, a general overview of access to healthcare was established.
The participants were asked four questions related to the healthcare received since diagnosis. The initial questions was, “Do you feel that access to healthcare is readily available to you?” Secondly, they were asked, “ How many times in the past year have you attend scheduled appointments with your primary healthcare provider (PCP)?” They were also asked if they had seen an infectious disease specialist since diagnosis and if they had ever been refused care.
Research shows that in HIV positive individuals, particularly in the Southeast United States, the most common barriers to access of care are transportation and distance from home to their PCP (Napravnik, Eron, McKaig, Heine, Menezes, & Ouinlivan, 2006). These two variables are very difficult to control or change. From a sample size of 1,997 participants, nearly 50% reported having to travel at least sixty miles to attend a visit with their PCP (Napravnik et al., 2006).
Possible methods of increasing access to healthcare would be to provide more in depth levels of education, such as classes when newly diagnosed with period updates. Research has been conducted on the use of a navigator to guide individuals through the management of HIV. Finally, patients should have access to support groups where it would be possible to discuss any concerns and receive input from someone who has already experienced this problem.
References
Napravnik, S., Eron, J. r., McKaig, R., Heine, A., Menezes, P., & Quinlivan, E. (2006). Factors associated with fewer visits for HIV primary care at a tertiary care center in the Southeastern U.S., AIDS Care, 18(1), 45-50.