Defining and Targeting Health Care Access Barriers

Publication/Presentation Date

5-2011

Abstract

The impact of social and economic determinants of health status and the existence of racial and ethnic health care access disparities have been well-documented. This paper describes a model, the Health Care Access Barriers Model (HCAB), which provides a taxonomy and practical framework for the classification, analysis and reporting of those modifiable health care access barriers that are associated with health care disparities. The model describes three categories of modifiable health care access barriers: financial, structural, and cognitive. The three types of barriers are reciprocally reinforcing and affect health care access individually or in concert. These barriers are associated with screening, late presentation to care, and lack of treatment, which in turn result in poor health outcomes and health disparities. By targeting those barriers that are measurable and modifiable the model facilitates root-cause analysis and intervention design.

Volume

22

Issue

2

First Page

562

Last Page

575

ISSN

1548-6869

Disciplines

Medical Sciences | Medicine and Health Sciences

PubMedID

21551934

Peer Reviewed for front end display

Peer-Reviewed

Department(s)

Department of Medicine, Department of Medicine Faculty

Document Type

Article

Share

COinS