Several factors inhibit access to medicines, but the major ones, according to the WHO, are the shortage of resources and the lack of skilled personnel.
Full Answer
What are the causes of lack of access to medicines?
Dying from lack of medicines. Several factors inhibit access to medicines, but the major ones, according to the WHO, are the shortage of resources and the lack of skilled personnel. “Low-income countries experience poor availability of essential medicines in health facilities, substandard-quality treatments, frequent stock-outs...
What causes low perceived need for medical care?
Low Perceived Need to Seek Medical Care Many responses, coded as “low perceived need,” indicated the belief that seeking medical care was unnecessary (n=167). The most common reasons were that medical problems would either “improve over time” or “improve on their own” (n=55; e.g.,
What causes lack of compliance with treatment?
Apathy: When you don't realize the importance of the treatment, or you don't care if the treatment works or not, you are less likely to comply.
Why don’t people seek medical care?
Many studies have examined barriers to health care utilization, with the majority conducted in the context of specific populations and diseases. Less research has focused on why people avoid seeking medical care, even when they suspect they should go. Objective
Why are people delaying getting medical care?
Millions of Americans – as many as 25% of the population – are delaying getting medical help because of skyrocketing costs.
How many Americans delay medical treatment?
A December 2019 poll conducted by Gallup found 25% of Americans say they or a family member have delayed medical treatment for a serious illness due to the costs of care.
Why did Meghan Markle stop receiving medical care?
Markle decided to stop receiving medical treatment due to the rising costs and debt, and died in September 2018 at the age of 52. “My mom was constantly doing the math of treatment costs while she was on the decline,” Valderrama said. “I really miss my mom.
How many people in the US went without health insurance in 2018?
In 2018, 27.8 million Americans went without any health insurance for the entire year. One of those Americans was the father of Ashley Hudson, who died in 2002 due to an untreated liver disease, an illness that went undiagnosed until a few weeks before his death.
How many people die from not having health insurance?
A 2009 study conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School found 45,000 Americans die every year as a direct result of not having any health insurance coverage. In 2018, 27.8 million Americans went without any health insurance for the entire year.
Why did Jennifer Finley die?
Three months later, Finley was found dead in her apartment after avoiding going to see a doctor for flu-like symptoms.
What are the three diseases that Africans are susceptible to?
Without access to medicines, Africans are susceptible to the three big killer diseases on the continent: malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.
How many Africans rely on public health?
About 80% of Africans, mostly those in the middle-income bracket and below, rely on public health facilities, reported the World Bank in 2013. With public health facilities suffering chronic shortages of critical drugs, many patients die of easily curable diseases.
When did the WTO stop allowing generic drugs?
However, the WTO in 2006 granted developing countries a 10-year waiver to manufacture generic drugs using the intellectual property rights of big pharmaceutical companies overseas. Despite US objections, the waiver, which expired this year, was extended until two-thirds of WTO members decide to remove it.
Why don't patients follow treatment plans?
Reasons Patients Don't Comply. Research published in 2011 suggests that some of the main reasons patients do not adhere to treatment plans include: 5 . Denial of the problem: Many diseases and conditions are easy to ignore, even when they have been diagnosed. This is particularly true for diseases that are asymptomatic, ...
What happens if you don't follow through with your doctor?
Needless to say, when patients don't follow through with the treatment decisions they have made together with their physicians, it can cause additional problems. They may not get over their sickness or injury. They may get even sicker or injure themselves further—or worse.
How to keep a medicine calendar?
Keep a "medicine calendar" near your medicine: Make a checkmark every time you take your dose. Tell your doctor if paying for prescription drugs is a problem: Your doctor may be able to prescribe a generic medication or offer other suggestions to offset the cost of a drug. (Generic drugs can cost 80 to 85% less .)
How many people die from treatable diseases in the US?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 125,000 people with treatable ailments die each year in the United States because they do not take their medication properly. 1
What to do if you are not following through on a drug?
If you find yourself tempted not to follow through on your treatment, contact your doctor to share your reasons, and together, to the extent it's possible, work out an alternative you both can agree on.
Do kidney transplant patients take anti-rejection medications?
Even those at high risk of serious complications often resist following treatment regimens. A 2016 study found that a third of kidney transplant patients don’t take their anti-rejection medications. 3 An estimated 50% of patients with cardiovascular disease and its major risk factors have poor adherence to prescribed medications. 4 .
Can you be reluctant to take a medication after reading about the side effects?
Also, patients may be reluctant to start a medication after reading about the possible side effects.
How many people with mental health problems did not seek treatment last year?
Nearly 60% of people with mental illnesses did not seek treatment last year. Although mental illness is widespread- 25% of adults in developed countries experience significant mental health problems each year- the treatment is outdated and lacking.
Do mental health departments have short beds?
Many people admitted with other complaints are dealing with underlying mental disorders. However, mental health departments in hospitals are grossly short on beds. Patients may wait days in the emergency department in hopes that an inpatient bed opens.
How to complain about poor care in a hospital?
How can I complain about poor medical care I received in a hospital? While you are in the hospital: If possible, first bring your complaints to your doctor and nurses. Be as specific as you can and ask how your complaint can be resolved. You can also ask to speak to a hospital social worker who can help solve problems and identify resources.
What do social workers do when patients leave the hospital?
Social workers also organize services and paperwork when patients leave the hospital. If you are covered by Medicare, you can file a complaint about your care with your State's Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) . These groups act on behalf of Medicare to address complaints about care provided to people covered by Medicare.
What is health care inequality?
Health care inequality is when one group of people in an economy is in much worse health than another group, with limited access to care. In the United States, health and health care inequality is correlated with income inequality. Research has found that the higher your income, the better your health. 1 . One reason health care inequality in ...
How does health care inequality affect the cost of healthcare?
Health care inequality increases the cost of medical care for everyone. People who can't afford preventive care wind up in the hospital emergency room. For example, it's probably less expensive to treat diabetes with medication than to treat a diabetic coma in the hospital.
Why are community health clinics important?
Their blood pressure is lower and they are less likely to be obese. 26 . Community-based health clinics help reduce health care inequality in low-income areas. 12 It's critical that they teach patients how to care for their chronic diseases. Studies show they can improve the health statistics in the neighborhood.
Why is health care inequality so high in America?
One reason health care inequality in America is so high is that it's the only developed country that relies on private health insurance. 2 As a result, those with corporate-sponsored plans have better access to health care than those who didn't.
Why is it so hard to find a job?
Those with poor health are likely to wind up in poverty. It is difficult to find and maintain a high-paying job if you are chronically ill. Diseases such as alcoholism and drug addiction can make any continuous job impossible.
How many people died from health insurance before the Affordable Care Act?
Before the Affordable Care Act, around 20% of Americans had little or no health insurance. 3 As a result, almost 45,000 of them died each year because they couldn't afford the high cost of health care 4 4 . Others found their savings were wiped out, they lost their homes, and incurred credit card debt.
Do low income neighborhoods have access to hospitals?
Low-income neighborhoods may not have nearby access to the best hospitals, doctors’ offices, and medical technology. This is especially true in rural areas. Southern states also have poorer care than northern ones if judged by health outcomes. 13
Research on Noncompliance
Reasons Patients Don't Comply
- Research published in 2011 suggests that some of the main reasons patients do not adhere to treatment plans include:5 1. Denial of the problem: Many diseases and conditions are easy to ignore, even when they have been diagnosed. This is particularly true for diseases that are asymptomatic, meaning they don't have noticeable symptoms that bother th...
What Can Be done?
- Healthcare experts continue to study the reasons behind patient noncompliance and are working to find solutions on their end. If you are a patient and are finding it difficult to adhere to your treatment plan even though you'd like to, here are some things you can do that may help: 1. Ask questions: If you don’t understand something about how to take your medications when to take i…