HHLT1IPP: Introduction to Professional Practice - Equity In Health Care - Assessment Answer

January 15, 2017
Author : Ashley Simons

Solution Code: 1CGG

Question:Introduction to Professional Practice

This assignment falls under Introduction to Professional Practice which was successfully solved by the assignment writing experts at My Assignment Services AU under assignment help service.

Introduction to Professional Practice Assignment

Assignment Task

Your task is to discuss access and equity in health care and the value of consumer participation in the planning and implementation of health care.

Your essay should include:

1. What is meant by ‘access and equity’ and ‘consumer participation’ in relation to healthcare?

2. A description of factors which influence an individual’s and the community’s access to health and human services.

3. A discussion of the benefits for individuals and the broader community when consumers participate in the planning and implementation of their health care.

4. A description of some of the problems and barriers to effective consumer participation.

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Solution:

Introduction

Health care according to Kronenefeld, 2002 refers to taking necessary medical procedures to improve a person’s well-being. The health services are offered through a system made up of hospitals and medical practitioners. Consumer participation refers to the process of allowing consumers to take part in decision-making about consumer health outcomes and experience, delivery of services and their quality. Equity refers to the allocation of heath care facilities equally in all regions to all people irrespective of their status quo. Access to healthcare refers to the ability of all people, the old and the young, to be in a position to access healthcare centers easily without having to travel long distances for these services.

It is the duty of the government to avail health services to individuals equally and it should ensure that every person can access the health centers. Equity, access and consumer participation in health services is very important since it helps in improving lives of different people in the society, more so, children who face the highest risk of contracting childhood diseases.

Individual and the community’s access to health services are influenced by a number of reasons. According to Mwasi 2010, access to health service is influenced majorly by the level of poverty and this is mostly experienced in the rural and third-world countries. The patients are not in a position to pay for the relevant health services while some even opt to use the traditional method of treatment because of the level of poverty. This forces the families to access the health facilities and services based on the ability to pay. Pharmaceutical drugs are very expensive and without government subsidies they are unaffordable to many.

Benefits, Disadvantages and barriers of effective planning and implementation of health care

Mwasi, 2010 argues that security is a key issue that influences an individual’s access to healthcare facilities and human services. Where there is insecurity, for instance in the slums, it is almost impossible for poor individuals to have access to the facilities. Security problems have led to poor access and equity of health services on the areas affected. The medical practitioners live in fear, therefore, they tend to live far away from the health facilities where is deemed safer and this at times inhibits the quality of work delivered due to the distance factor.

Mwasi (2010) further submits that distance covered in order to have access the health services affects consumer use of these services. In areas with poor transport systems, people are forced to neglect the traveling expenses and are forced to rely on the traditional medicines that they can comfortably have access to. The shorter the distance, the more people have access to such facilities.

Poor transport and communication systems, such as seasonal murram roads, act as barriers to effective consumer participation in community and public health. When roads are poor, access to health facilities is impossible as the roads become impassible. Poor roads can also lead to a delay in delivery of the medicines by the national government or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) leading to delays thus affecting consumer participation since they won’t have access to the services.

Higher levels of illiteracy is a barrier to access to health and human service as they are illiterate hence do not know the importance of being treated whenever one is sick. This is an issue that deserves to be eradicated by teaching individuals and the communities on the importance of modern treatment and prevention methods. The illiterate will not think on their own on the importance of seeking treatment from the medical practitioners. For instance, the illiterate will not be in a position to read and understand the guidelines issued by the practitioners (Jaworski, 1972).

Cultural beliefs and practices is a barrier to access to the health and human services. In communities where the people only believe in traditional forms of treatment limits the tendency of access to the health facilities by such people. Culture plays a key role in access to the health services since, cultural activities which are tied to certain methods of treatment hinders individuals and certain community members from accessing health facilities.

Factors influencing and individual or community access to health and human services are driven by the individual desire to live a healthy and prosperous life. In most cases, access to the health facilities is due to the failure of the traditional drugs to function properly. Individuals and their communities benefit so much from the improved healthcare since their lives are prolonged.

Access to health care and consumer participation helps to improve the birth rate among people since the incidences of death will be reduced (Koch & Kralik, 2006). When the society knows what is expected of them and they continuously follow the rules and instructions, they are in a position to enjoy better lives since most diseases will be cured in good time. Generally, this improves birth rates and reduces mortality rates. It is, therefore, important to access the health facilities and get medication whenever one feels sick.

Oliver, 2008 submits that when the community takes part in planning and implementation of their health care, it is of importance that the service providers, being the medical practitioners, be fully aware of diseases that the people in that particular community are challenged with. When the individuals understand what is expected of them, then the doctors will not have a hard time in administration and carrying out research in that region.

Generally, participation in planning and implementation of health care is beneficial since the medical practitioners with the help of the community members are in a position to know and identify common and prone diseases in that particular region. This will improve health care as their knowledge of the prone diseases will be broader hence the necessary medicine availed all for use by the people.

Community participation in planning and implementation of health services is very useful in the collection of statistical data which is often used in the allocation and distribution of medicines in the country. This will be important since the community receives the kind of help they really need and cannot do without. In most cases, it is the information collected that is also used to allocate the foreign aid which is meant to assist the members of the community (Oliver, 2008).

Bad weather conditions is a barrier to effective consumer participation since heavy rains distract movement and it also leads to the growth of bushes and thickets which acts as a home to most of the insects like mosquitoes which spread malaria to human beings. Malaria has claimed many lives more so in the Sub-Saharan Africa. However, this disease can be controlled but with conditions favorable for their stay and breeding, it becomes a menace hard to handle.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is, therefore, necessary for individuals and the community members to participate in planning and implementation of health services. This has led to increased development in various places as it has a role in the increase of birth rates relative to death rates. Individual participation is necessary since they are the ambassadors of change in their areas of residence by mobilizing other people on the importance of accessing health services.

Equity, in relation to health services, should be given much consideration since these individuals are in a capacity to enjoy the services equally despite their differences. Equality should, therefore, be observed so that members of the society will have a positive impact on the health services introduced to them.

Access to health services is very important since it helps save many lives which, often, are claimed by diseases. Therefore, individuals should work together with the community in designing programs that will be beneficial to them regardless of their race, age and sex.

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