Equity in Access to Health Services in Developing Countries

Meeting men’s health needs by improving healthcare service access is a key objective of comprehensive primary health care. The aims of this qualitative study were to explore the perception of nurses in men’s health services and to describe men’s expectation of the nurse. The comparative component identifies the barriers and facilitators to improved access to health services. A purposive sample of 19 nurses and 20 men was recruited from metropolitan and regional settings in the state of Victoria, Australia, and each participant was interviewed individually or as part of three focus groups. The main findings were: nurses and men were unclear on the role of the nurse in men’s health; and health promotion provided by nurses was predominantly opportunistic. Both participant groups indicated barriers to healthcare access related to: the culture and environment in general practice; limitation of Australia’s Medicare healthcare financing system; out-of-pocket costs, waiting time and lack of extended hours; and men not wanting to be perceived as complainers. Facilitators related to: positive inter-professional relations; effective communication; personal qualities; and level of preparedness of nurse education. The findings demonstrate a need for the role to be better understood by both men and nurses in order to develop alternative approaches to meeting men’s healthcare needs.

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Medical Ethnobiology and Indigenous Knowledge System Found In Darai Ethnic Group of Chitwan, Nepal

Journal of Institute of Science and Technology ◽

10.3126/jist.v21i1.16061 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

pp. 103-111 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Manisha Poudel ◽

Nanda Bahadur Singh

Keyword(s):

Health Services ◽

Indigenous Knowledge ◽

Ethnic Group ◽

Animal Species ◽

Knowledge System ◽

Easy Access ◽

Access To Health Services ◽

Medicinal Purpose ◽

Indigenous Knowledge System ◽

Access To Health

The present study focuses on traditional usages of animals and plants species for medicinal purpose and indigenous knowledge system existent in Darai ethnic group of Mangalpur VDC, Chitwan, Nepal. A total of 28 animal species and 76 plant species were found to be used by Darai people to treat 22 and 36 different ailments, respectively. Darai people have their own indigenous knowledge for making various bamboo products and fishing equipments and local drink (moat/muna). The existence of knowledge associated with animals and plants and their medicinal utility is currently threatened mainly due to modernization, easy access to health services, lack of interest of youngsters, few local healers and fading of ethnic characters of Darai ethnic group. Thus, documentation of such knowledge has become an urgent need.Journal of Institute of Science and TechnologyVolume 21, Issue 1, August 2016, page: 103-111

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Access to health services

Journal of International Development ◽

10.1002/jid.4010030313 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 403-420 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

A. S. Bhalla

Keyword(s):

Health Services ◽

Access To Health Services ◽

Access To Health

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Access to health services in Western Newfoundland, Canada: Issues, barriers and recommendations emerging from a community-engaged research project

Gateways International Journal of Community Research and Engagement ◽

10.5130/ijcre.v7i1.3390 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Janelle Hippe ◽

Victor Maddalena ◽

Sara Heath ◽

Beulah Jesso ◽

Marion McCahon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Services ◽

Nurse Practitioners ◽

Maternal Child Health ◽

Access To Health Services ◽

Rural And Remote ◽

Research Project ◽

Community Engaged Research ◽

Kitchen Table ◽

Access To Health ◽

Health Services Access

Research indicates that people living in rural and remote areas of Canada face challenges to accessing health services. This article reports on a community-engaged research project conducted by investigators at Memorial University of Newfoundland in collaboration with the Rural Secretariat Regional Councils and Regional Partnership Planners for the Corner Brook–Rocky Harbour and Stephenville–Port aux Basques Rural Secretariat Regions of Newfoundland and Labrador. The aim of this research was to gather information on barriers to accessing health services, to identify solutions to health services’ access issues and to inform policy advice to government on enhancing access to health services. Data was collected through: (1) targeted distribution of a survey to communities throughout the region, and (2) informal ‘kitchen table’ discussions to discuss health services’ access issues. A total of 1049 surveys were collected and 10 kitchen table discussions were held. Overall, the main barriers to care listed in the survey included long wait times, services not available in the area and services not available at time required. Other barriers noted by survey respondents included transportation problems, financial concerns, no medical insurance coverage, distance to travel and weather conditions. Some respondents reported poorer access to maternal/child health and breast and cervical screening services and a lack of access to general practitioners, pharmacy services, dentists and nurse practitioners. Recommendations that emerged from this research included improving the recruitment of rural physicians, exploring the use of nurse practitioners, assisting individuals with travel costs, developing specialist outreach services, increasing use of telehealth services and initiating additional rural and remote health research.Keywords: rural, remote, healthcare, health services, social determinants of health

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