Perceived barriers to health care access among rural older adults: A qualitative study
Perceived barriers to health care access among rural older adults: A qualitative study
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DOI：
10.1111/j.1748-0361.2005.tb00084.x
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发表时间：
2005-06-01
影响因子：
4.9
通讯作者：
Solovieva, T
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Goins, RT;Williams, KA;Solovieva, T
背景：许多农村老年人获得医疗保健的机会有限。我们所知道的关于这个问题的大部分是基于定量研究，但定性研究可能会提供更多的见解，个人的看法，卫生保健的访问。目的：研究农村老年人在获得所需医疗保健时遇到的障碍，包括他们如何科普处方药的高成本。方法：在2001年春季，13个90分钟的焦点小组进行了6个西弗吉尼亚州农村社区。共有101名年龄在60岁及以上的参与者接受了调查。几个关于他们对医疗服务的看法的问题。调查结果：讨论中出现了五类保健障碍：交通困难、保健供应有限、缺乏优质保健、社会孤立和财政限制。此外，还讨论了处理处方药费用的6种不同应对策略。其中包括：减少剂量或不使用，限制其他费用，依靠家庭援助，补充替代药物，以最便宜的价格购物，并使用退伍军人管理局。结论：总体而言，农村老年人在获得所需的卫生保健方面遇到各种障碍。定性方法使农村老年人有发言权来阐述他们的经历。研究可以提供一个论坛，老年人可以表达他们对当前医疗保健提供系统的关注，从而为制定政策提供有价值的信息。
Context: Many rural elders experience limited access to health care. The majority of what we know about this issue has been based upon quantitative studies, yet qualitative studies might offer additional insight into individual perceptions of health care access. Purpose: To examine what barriers rural elders report when accessing needed health care, including how they cope with the high cost of prescription medication. Methods: During Spring 2001, thirteen 90-minute focus groups were conducted in 6 rural West Virginia communities. A total of 101 participants, aged 60 years and older, were asked. several culminating questions about their perceptions of health care access. Findings: Five categories of barriers to health care emerged from the discussions: transportation difficulties, limited health care supply, lack of quality health care, social isolation, and financial constraints. In addition, 6 diverse coping strategies for dealing with the cost of prescription medication were discussed. They included: reducing dosage or doing without, limiting other expenses, relying on family assistance, supplementing with alternative medicine, shopping around for cheapest prices, and using the Veteran's Administration. Conclusions: Overall, rural older adults encounter various barriers to accessing needed health care. Qualitative methodology allows rural elders to have a voice to expound on their experiences. Research can contribute valuable information to shape policy by providing a forum where older adults can express their concerns about the current health care delivery system.