Essay Sample on The Healthcare Issues Affecting the Local Community

The state of health of a community results from a cumulative effect of many factors. Understanding the issues that play a vital role in enhancing the well-being of people helps in the development of a plan to advocate for healthcare measures. Several factors are pivotal in the healthcare of American rural communities. Therefore, the paper examines the top three primary healthcare issues affecting the local community, which include the stigma associated with health literacy, barriers to quality healthcare, and transportation means to access healthcare services with the aim of the development of a healthcare advocacy plan.

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Health literacy is an essential factor when enhancing quality healthcare services. It involves the provision of health-related information to people with no adequate medical knowledge. People from the local community suffer stigmatization as a result of a lack of confidence when communicating with clinicians and physicians about their medical conditions. The stigma is more common, especially amongst people with poor English communication skills or lacks fundamental health literacy. Additionally, mental health, sexually transmitted infections, and substance abuse also contribute significantly to health-related stigma.

Barriers to healthcare is another issue affecting the local people. It entails all the factors that hinder peoples’ access to affordable healthcare. Such factors may include shortages of the workforce in healthcare facilities, lack of health insurance, and poor financial positions as a result of low incomes, among others. Transportation is another issue affecting the community’s access to healthcare. It primarily reflects through the lack of means to reach the healthcare facilities to use services. Poor infrastructure in terms of roads mean that some people will have difficulties in accessing services located at a distance.

The Possible Methods to Alleviate These Concerns

Empowering people through the promotion of health education is an essential step towards eradication of health literacy, and ultimately the stigmatizations that come with it. Behavioral and mental health are two of the most vital concerns in the rural setup like this local community. Moreover, shortages of health providers in the realm of behavioral and mental health make the situation worse. Providing a conducive environment for health awareness as well as increasing the number of health facilities and physicians specializing in mental health is one of the methods of alleviating these concerns. El-Amin et al. (2018) examine the spread and effectiveness of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program in the creation of awareness and provision of the much behavioral and mental education. Such an approach applies to the local community.

Elimination of the barriers to quality healthcare is another way of alleviating the healthcare concern in the rural community. It involves the provision of the healthcare services most appropriately, and that is accessible to all. The 2015 United States Census indicates that 19% of the population comprises of the rural inhabitants (Smith et al. 2017). Therefore, empowering these rural establishments will help alleviate the health concerns regarding the barriers to access. According to Jolly (2019), improving the structural, geographical establishment, and entire health infrastructure helps in alleviating this concern.

The transportation system is a severe concern when it comes to access to quality healthcare services. Improving the transport system helps in eliminating healthcare issues relating to transportation. Syed, Gerber, & Sharp (2013), states that poor transport or lack of connectivity is a hindrance to access to quality health. Transportation barriers in the realm of medicine mean patients and physicians will have to reschedule appointments, delayed services, and missed medication. Therefore, improving the transportation system eliminates the consequences of poor management of severe chronic disorders.

The Healthcare Advocacy Plan for the Population

Healthcare is a concern for all the governmental organs. Adequate, effective, and quality healthcare requires a joint effort by the government, healthcare providers, and the general community. The provision of healthcare education is one of the most significant steps towards attaining a healthy nation. Health education programs such as the MHFA helps in enhancing awareness and eliminating severe effects of stigmatization and ignorance (El-Amin et al. 2018). The local government needs to promote healthcare education programs through such initiatives. The education will not only eliminate health-related stigma but also pave the way to access to quality care. Barriers to care relating to geographical location and lack of efficient transportation system deny patients access to care. It mostly affects people struggling with chronic illnesses, those who need emergency care as well as expectant women. The government has to improve infrastructural development since its primary role is to promote a healthy nation.

Conclusively, the health concerns affecting the local community include stigmatization that patients face relating to health literacy, the struggles with barriers to quality healthcare, and poor connectivity in terms of transportation. Quality healthcare means the medical attention that patients get at the right time, place, and situation. The local, state, and national governments play a central role in empowering the community to get access to healthcare services through the provision of healthcare education, improving infrastructure, and increasing the number of health professions.

References

El-Amin, T., Anderson, B. L., Leider, J. P., Satorius, J., & Knudson, A. (2018). Enhancing mental health literacy in rural America: Growth of Mental Health First Aid program in rural communities in the United States from 2008–2016. Journal of Rural Mental Health, 42(1), 20.

Jolly, L. E. (2019). Healthcare Access Barriers in Rural America. Kentucky Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship, 3(1), 8.

Smith, M. L., Prohaska, T. R., MacLeod, K. E., Ory, M. G., Eisenstein, A. R., Ragland, D. R., ... & Satariano, W. A. (2017). Non-emergency medical transportation needs of middle-aged and older adults: A rural-urban comparison in Delaware, USA. International journal of environmental research and public health, 14(2), 174.

Syed, S. T., Gerber, B. S., & Sharp, L. K. (2013). Traveling towards disease: transportation barriers to health care access. Journal of community health, 38(5), 976-993.