Problems Facing Non Elderly Americans Essay

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Everyone should have the opportunity to achieve a healthy life and have comprehensive health care services available to them. To achieve this healthy life, people need to have access to the health care system and to a health care provider with whom they can develop a trusting relationship. However, existing barriers to attaining health care services often lead to disparities which in turn lead to differences in life expectancy, health status and a higher prevalence of certain chronic diseases (HealthyPeople.gov, 2012).

Despite the countless advanced in technology and the abundance of health care organization popping up all over the place, whether they are free standing clinics, hospitals, urgent cares or etc, many people still lack the ability to receive quality health care. This has become a concern throughout the world, but especially a more vocal concern for residents of the United States in the past few years. In this paper we will discuss the reasons preventing access to quality health care and how we can overcome the many obstacles that stand in our way to provide quality health care to many who lack it today.

Many factors can influence a person’s access to health care. Age can influence access to health care because some physicians will treat only children or only the elderly. Income can influence access to health care because specialty driven health care usually involves significant out-of-pocket expense to the patient because some procedures are not covered by health insurance. Location also can be an influence on access to health care. Many patients do not have transportation because of age, dependency on family members, health reasons, or financial reasons. According to the Journal of the National Medical Association, Access to health care can influence the prevalence of chronic disease risks and cancer screening utilization in many ways (Shavers, Shanker, Alberg, 2002, p. 955). If patients are not given

Statistically, the majority of older adults require continual health care for at least one chronic condition, half of this group for multiple chronic conditions, and more than half are managing multiple prescription medications. In older adult groups without chronic illness, there is still a high demand for health care access for “acute conditions as well as for extensive preventative care services recommended by evidence-based guidelines, such as medical screenings and vaccinations” (Thorpe et al., 2011, p. 2). Education from research is necessary to address the efficacy of health care delivery within the communities nationwide, and to mitigate the disparities within a flawed system. “As this vulnerable population is expected to double by the year 2030, efforts to identify and eliminate disparities in access for older adults are among the most pressing health care issues for the 21st century” (Thorpe et al., 2011, p. 2). Ultimately, through exploration of predictive risk factors in the older adult population, along with implementation of various approaches for intervention and policy, health care accessibility for this vulnerable population can be greatly improved.

The author describes various solutions to fighting poverty across the U.S as well as how poverty can affect individuals. The authors research focuses on the life of Tianna Gaines- Turner and her husband in that even though they both work. It's not enough to cover the expenses they are having to do for themselves and children. And since they can’t sustain the family they can get food benefits such as SNAP. Furthermore, the author also mentions some solutions to fighting poverty. Like increasing federal aid, federal housing programs, as well as individuals that have businesses can help to ease poverty in the U.S.

The article being summarized is out of the book Health Care Delivery in the United States by Jonas and Kovner. The chapter is called Access to Care written by Billings, Cantor, and Clinton in 2011. The article is a review of literature because it is a chapter from a book and did not test any new information. The chapter looked at studies that have been done and comparing and showing the different findings. The point of this chapter is to, “understand the nature of the access problem, understand the distinction between economic and noneconomic barriers to health care, understand the characteristics of the uninsured and the policy implications of those characteristics, understand how access barriers impinge on health, understand how access barriers affect the health care delivery system, and understand the challenges for recently enacted national health care reform, particularly around reducing noneconomic and quasi-economic barriers to care” (Billings, 2011, p. 151). The main point of this chapter and researching findings was to look at the barriers that still exist in the health care system that are causing people to remain uninsured in this time of health care reform.

These are few of the many issues of poverty we face today in our communities; food banks are crisis because of the high in demand of people in need. Housing is another important factor as millions of people worry about being able to make rent payments, and finding affordable living places where they do not have to worry about living paycheck to paycheck. A study was conducted from t McMaster University in 2010 for the City

Research shows that 46.7 million individuals and families live below or at the poverty threshold in the United States (U.S. Census Bureau, 2014). At 15.7 percent, the nation’s poverty rate has steadily increased since the early 1970’s. According to sociologist Mark Rank, “nearly 40 percent of Americans between the ages of 25 and 60 will experience at least one year below the official poverty line during that period and 54 percent will spend a year in poverty or near poverty” (Rank, 2013, p#). The systemic symptoms of poverty Americans experience have proven to be visible threats to the general population’s welfare. Often times, Americans are affected by multiple issues pertaining to poverty. These issues are quantified by time and classified as either strained or non-existent resources. For example, strained resources include, but are not limited to Financial, Emotional, mental, spiritual, physical, or other relational support systems (Payne, 2009). Just under 18 of every 10,000 people are experiencing homelessness on a single night (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2016). Approximately 29 million individuals and families have gone without health coverage in 2015 (Census Bureau, 2015). Studies show the direct correlation between poverty and stress related illness (Sapolsky, 1998). Although our national unemployment rate is currently at 6.2 percent, working lower-income families are most at risk due to increasing in housing rates and lack of equally raised income

Poverty is widespread issue that is prominent in mainly third world countries, but many are naive to the fact that poverty occurs right in our country’s backyard as well. Although the United States in the recent years has been the leading developed countries for opportunity and freedom, however even with our technological advances and knowledge poverty still continues to be an issue in some neighborhood in the United States.  According to the National Poverty Center, in 2010 it was documented that 15.1% of our country was living under the petrifying conditions of poverty. Not only do these conditions drastically effect the nation’s economy, but they also have a massive impact on the health of each individual citizen. Over the course of

Access to health care refers to the individual’s ability to obtain and use needed services (Ellis & Hartley, 2008). Access to health care affects a multitude of people. Uninsured, underinsured, elderly, lower socioeconomic class, minorities, and people that live in remote areas are at the highest risk for lack of access to health care. There are also economical and political roles that complicate access to health care. Access to health care is a multi-faceted concept involving geographic, economics, or sociocultural issues. With my extensive research on access to health care, I hope to provide influences regarding; who is affected by lack of access, geographic, economic, sociocultural access, and

Changes in access to health care across different populations are the chief reason for current disparities in health care provision. These changes occur for several reasons, and some of the main factors that contribute to the problem in the United States are: Lack of health insurance – Several racial, ethnic, socioeconomic and other minority groups lack adequate health insurance coverage in comparison with people who can afford healthcare insurance. The majority of these individuals are likely to put off health care or go without the necessary healthcare and medication that is needed. Lack of financial resources – Lack of accessibility to funding is a barrier to health care for a lot of people living in the United States

Access to healthcare is a complex problem that many in the United States face. It is not just a one factor issue, as access to healthcare has many different components. I believe these include the physical ability to get to a healthcare facility, available healthcare providers, ability to pay for care, and understanding the United States health system. Many geographical situations make having access to healthcare difficult. I have a good example of this from where I currently am employed. I work in a small rural farming community. The town that the hospital is in has around 3,000 people and serves a total population area of around 7,000 people. The hospital that I work at is a critical access hospital and the area we serve is medically underserved. So, I see disparities in access to healthcare all the time. Many of our patients cannot afford to pay for healthcare, even with the changes made by the Affordable Care Act. We also treat many patients who do not have reliable transportation. This makes it difficult for them to get to our hospital and clinic, because many of them live in smaller surrounding towns. It can also

The older adult population in the United States has steadily increased thanks to technology and medical advances. While this definitely is an undeniable achievement, it also creates some challenges that society was not as prevalent to face before. Now that people are living longer it’s also means that often times family members are becoming caregivers to their loved ones during their so called golden years. Not only may it be difficult to care for a loved one, but it also becomes even more burdensome when their loved has a disability. In fact “dementia is one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people worldwide.” (2016). Fortunately there are adult day centers that serve people with dementia and provide services that can benefit them. However many times caregivers are forgotten about and aren’t provided services that can also benefit them as well. While it does take a bit of pressure off of the caregivers while their loved ones are at the day center, it does not eliminate all the other effects. Many people may not be aware that there are detrimental effects that a caregiver may experience as a result of caring for someone with dementia.

The elderly in America have many needs that can range from transportation, a little more money, and even just a little companionship but one of their major needs is advocacy. They need someone to stand up and fight with them for what the need. The elderly of today did so much for this country such things as fight both world wars and the Korean Conflict, they fought for equality, and the escalated this country to the greatness we have today.