LACK OF RESOURCES IN HEALTHCARE: YUXIAN XING(BSPS)
Who is affected ? Low-income and/or homeless individuals. In general, lowincome individuals are more likely to have chronic illnesses, and the impact of those illnesses can be more severe. Certain geographical communities are the victims of lack of healthcare resources. The reason for this disparity is that rural populations experience geographic isolation, who have a lower socioeconomic status and limited job opportunities
What are healthcare resources?
also tend to be older.
Healthcare resources include all the
A lack of resources in healthcare has serious consequences
materials, personnel, facilities, funds, and
for the quality of patient care and the professional work
anything else that can be used for providing
environment for nurses, therapists, and other healthcare
health care services. Without doubt,
providers.
healthcare is always a limited resource compared to the number of people around
What efforts/solutions have been made?
the world because everyone needs
Health insurance coverage helps patients gain entry into the
healthcare.
healthcare system. Lack of adequate coverage makes it difficult for people to get the health care they need and, when they do
Intercultural/Global Issue
get care, burdens them with large medical bills.
WHO and the World Bank found 800 million people spend at least 10 percent of their household budgets on health expenses for themselves, a sick child or other family member.
Professional/Personal Opinion Inadequate health insurance coverage is one of the largest barriers to healthcare access and the unequal distribution of coverage contributes to disparities in health. Improving the condition of healthcare requires new technologies and methods. Data shown above is total national health
New technologies which measure and monitor people’s health
expenditures from 1970 to 2019, also
conditions can help with allocating healthcare resources. Thus,
indirectly indicates that demands of
the health care system can provide health care quickly after a
healthcare resources keep growing
need is recognized.
through time.
References: 1. Hellen R, John O. Allocation of Healthcare Resources: Principles for Decision-making. Pediatrics in Review Jul 2017; Vol. 38, Issue 7. 2. How has U.S. spending on healthcare changed over time? Health System Tracker.org. Published December 23, 2020. Accessed March 29, 2021. 3. Healthypeople.gov. Accessed March 29, 2021. 4. Laura Joszt MA. 5 Vulnerable Populations in Healthcare. Ajmc.com. Accessed March 29, 2021
