Factors affecting access to health services
Geographic location
Socioeconomic status
Health literacy
Cultural factors
Gender
People living in rural/remote areas have difficulty accessing the level of health services that those living in major cities access, simply because of the large distances they have to travel
Limited by low numbers of doctors, specialists and hospitals
Reduced availability of current technology foe diagnosis and treatment for those with emergency and chronic health needs
Royal Flying Doctor Service improves services for these people
Treatment for emergencies is still slower for those living in rural areas
People may need to travel large distances to access large regional hospitals (eg. preventative treatment), which takes away their time from work and family
People in major cities have access to hospitals, as well as living closely to hospitals
Refers to a person's position in society compared to others, based on income, occupation and education, which all impact their ability to access health services and information
Occupation
Education
Income
Health services can be expensive
There can still be out-of-pocket costs, even with bulk-billing from Medicare
Private health insurance may be out of reach for people on low incomes, hence long waiting times and out-of-pocket costs
Some people may not be able to afford to travel to access health services
People who work long hours may not have time to seek treatment
Some people feel the responsibility that they can't leave work to seek medical attention
Some people may not be able to take time off work (eg. self-employed)
See 'Health Literacy'
The degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions about how to access and use them
Overall levels of education are important for accessing and understanding health information
Treatment is becoming more complex (both information and actual services) so it is important to understand information
Low levels of literacy
Lower rates of participation in preventative health approaches (eg. cancer screening, vaccinations, mismanagement of medication)
The chances of this increase with low levels of education, socioeconomic disadvantage and language barriers
High levels of literacy
Access a greater range of services
Use health information to make better decisions to promote HWB
Overall level of health is improved
Intergenerational: what occurs in one generation, occurs in the next
Lower knowledge of cooking, risks, messages or understanding food labels
Don't have confidence to ask questions about their health
Language barriers
Religious beliefs
Values and expectations of services provided
Limits access to services
Less likely to access medical services and information because they don't understand what's been given to them, and they may not feel safe
Practitioners may lack understanding of particular cultures and concepts of HWB
Patients may feel disempowered and less likely to access services
Difficulty communicating with staff
Some religions, patients are prevented from receiving particular treatment, which may prevent them from seeking medical assistance
May not be covered by Medicare when they first migrate to Australia
Males use health services less then females, and are often reluctant to see help and ignore health measures that are offered
Not enrolled in Medicare
Not access the services provided
Limited opening hours outside of their work
Lack of male health professionals
Embarrassment of discussing sensitive and emotional issues
Discomfort in waiting rooms
Social norms and values associated with a traditional view of masculinity