Access to Healthcare

Rural communities face barriers in accessing healthcare that can make it difficult to receive care. Barriers in rural communities include a lack of providers, financial concerns, and physical distance to the providers. Access to quality healthcare can be a determinant in the implementation of some programs as well as the improvement of health outcomes in a community. Rural communities are disproportionately affected by barriers like poverty, low literacy, and limited transportation resources, so it is important to assess these barriers for communities prior to implementing a health promotion program.

There are promising approaches to increase healthcare access and improve health outcomes in rural communities. School-based health centers can improve healthcare access for children and their families. The Social Determinants of Health in Rural Communities Toolkit provides information on program models in healthcare settings designed to improve healthcare access, including:

• Interdisciplinary Care Teams, Patient Navigators, and Community Health Workers
• Medical-Legal Partnerships
• School-Based Health Centers
• Approaches to Improve Remote Access to Healthcare

Additional resources and information about healthcare access in rural areas, including barriers and opportunities can be found in the Healthcare Access in Rural Communities Topic Guide.

Resources to Learn More

Improving Access and Systems of Care for Evidence-Based Childhood Obesity Treatment: Conference Key Findings and Next Steps
Document
Discusses recommendations from various stakeholders for evidence-based care for childhood obesity including family-based multicomponent behavioral therapy, integrated care model, and multi-disciplinary care team.
Author(s): Wilfley, D.E., Staiano, A.E., Altman, M., et al.
Citation: Obesity (Silver Spring), 25(1), 16-29
Date: 12/2016