Barriers Preventing Inclusive Healthcare for All: Political, Economical and Social Factors
- Rianna Samsingh
- Jul 15, 2024
- 2 min read
The term ‘Universal Healthcare’ describes providing all individuals with access to necessary health services without financial hardship. It ensures that everyone, regardless of their socio-economic status, can receive timely and effective medical care. Access to universal healthcare is essential for promoting health equity, preventing illness, and enhancing the overall well-being of communities. However, there have been many bumps in the road on the journey to achieve globally accessible health care, ranging from economic to political and systematic.
Initially, individuals in poverty often face significant barriers to accessing universal healthcare. Financial constraints make it difficult for them to afford healthcare services, even when they are subsidised. Geographic disparities mean that rural and underserved areas, where many impoverished individuals live, often lack sufficient healthcare facilities and professionals. Additionally, they may lack insurance coverage or face high out-of-pocket costs, which only further strands them in the cycle of poverty.
According to The World Health Organization, "even small expenditures in absolute terms can be devastating for low-income families; approximately 1.3 billion individuals were pushed or further pushed into poverty by such payments, including 300 million people who were already living in extreme poverty.”
From a political standpoint, competing political priorities, such as defense spending or tax policies, can often divert funds away from healthcare initiatives. Influential interest groups, including pharmaceutical companies and private insurers, lobby against reforms that would threaten their profits. Furthermore, political instability or corruption can lead to mismanagement of resources and poor implementation of health programs. Without strong political commitment and cooperation, achieving universal health care remains a challenging goal, hindering equitable access to essential health services for all citizens of any nation.
Finally, social factors significantly impact access to universal healthcare. Social determinants of health, such as poor living conditions, limited access to nutritious food and the education
levels of the general population further exacerbate health issues. Not only do education levels
influence health literacy, affecting individuals' ability to navigate the healthcare system and understand medical information, but cultural and linguistic differences can result in communication challenges and lead to an overall mistrust of the healthcare system. Moreover, existing social stigma around certain health conditions can deter individuals from seeking necessary care such as with Sexually Transmitted Diseases being prevalent in rural areas where Sexual Education is considered ‘taboo’. Addressing these social determinants is a crucial aspect in achieving true universal healthcare access. Without targeted interventions and support, these systemic barriers prevent those in poverty from accessing the healthcare they need.
To conclude, economic, social and political factors collectively hinder universal healthcare access. Financial constraints limit resources and affordability, particularly in low-income regions. Social determinants such as education and cultural barriers exacerbate health inequities and obstruct individuals' ability to seek care. Politically, competing priorities and powerful interest groups can stall healthcare reforms. Addressing these challenges requires a coordinated approach involving increased funding, equitable resource distribution, systemic reforms and political will. By tackling these barriers, we can move closer to achieving universal health care, ensuring everyone has access to necessary health services without
financial hardships.
References:
World Health Organization (2023). Billions Left Behind on the Path to Universal Health Coverage
Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (2021). Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2021
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