Factors that may inhibit health equity from being achieved
and Health Literacy
Social determinants of health (SDOH) are the conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.
Challenges to achieving health equity today
Feelings of unease with the healthcare system are linked to health equity issues including affordability, discrimination, and access.
Let’s Talk About Health Equity:
Let’s Talk About Health Equity is an educational resource on the state of healthcare in the United States.
To assess current satisfaction, challenges, and unmet needs, we conducted a 1,199 person survey of nationally representative adults between the ages of 18-to-65 years. Findings were analyzed using 29 different demographic and psychographic cuts, including gender, age, region, race and ethnicity, relationship status, and sexual orientation, among other areas of interest. All data referenced below is pulled from the survey unless otherwise specified.
Health equity is the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health.
59%
of respondents believe the healthcare system is unaffordable
Feelings About The Future Of Healthcare
When compared with those making over $150,000, respondents making under $75,000 are:
less likely to have an easy time finding a qualified provider
less likely to feel accommodated
less likely to get clear post-care instructions
less likely to feel like they get care appropriate for their concerns
Those in rural and suburban areas are 31% more likely forego care due to the commute than those in urban areas.
Rural/Suburban Residents more likely to forego care
Those in suburban and rural areas are also more likely to make less than $50,000 annually, which can make related costs (e.g. transportation cost and time off work) more significant.
Satisfaction With Care Provider Location
Likelihood of Having a Commute of More Than 30 Minutes
of respondents feel that they or their ailments are dismissed by doctors
of respondents disagree that “most care specialists create an environment that feels safe and comfortable"
Respondents Who Have Experienced Discrimination In a Healthcare Setting
Respondents
Respondents
Respondents
Respondents Who Have Experienced Discrimination Based On Sexual Orientation
their healthcare
Respondents with a high school degree or lower are 44% more likely to only seek care when an urgent issue arises.
High school degrees or lower are more likely to only seek care when an urgent issue arises
Reasons To Forego Care Based on Education
High school degree or lower
Likelihood of Getting Appropriate Care
High school degree or lower
Likelihood of Only Seeking Care When An Urgent Issue Arises
High school degree or lower
Care for Urgent Issues Only
Preventive care is routine healthcare, including screenings, check-ups, and counseling to prevent illness or detect potential medical conditions at the earliest possible point.
The importance of a proactive and preventive approach to health and wellbeing
Americans are underserved by a healthcare system that is still mostly reactive rather than proactive,
which drives up long term health costs and detrimentally impacts health outcomes.
Even though
less than half (43%) of respondents believe the current healthcare system is designed for preventive care,
58% indicate a desire to engage in more preventive care to obtain earlier health insights and proactively
manage potential health risks current and future.
of respondents are willing to engage in virtual and at-home healthcare as an alternative or complement to traditional methods.
Respondents cite the following advantages of
at-home healthcare:
Do not have to take time off work to go to doctor or lab
Helps me take a more preventive approach to my healthcare
Do not need to find transportation to go to the doctor or lab
At-home heathcare is the at-home delivery and facilitation of health and health-related services, including diagnostic testing, virtual consultations, and e-prescriptions, to expand care access and enable health management.
The rise of at-home healthcare as a solution to today's challenges
With the current healthcare system viewed as unaffordable, inaccessible, and inequitable by most respondents, there is an openness towards at-home solutions such as diagnostic testing, virtual consultations, and medication delivery as well as an imperative to create greater opportunities to access them.
Time spent at an onsite lab carries a cost that many cannot afford, which is addressed by at-home care.
of those with a lower household income cite saving money as a benefit of at-home healthcare
of those with a lower household income cite not needing to find transportation as a benefit of at-home healthcare
Black respondents are 65% more likely to cite not having to find childcare as a benefit compared to White respondents
Asian respondents are 30% more likely to highlight the benefit of not needing to take time off work compared to White respondents
At-home healthcare reduces the amount of time individuals need to be away from their home or place of work, which helps mitigate inequities created by geographical factors.
of respondents say it would be beneficial to have blood test results available before a doctor’s appointment vs. after
Addressing Social Inclusion & Discrimination
The convenience of at-home healthcare is particularly relevant to historically marginalized groups.
of Black respondents are somewhat or very likely to consider at-home sexual health tests compared to 35% of White respondents
of LGBTQIA+ respondents are likely to consider at-home sexual health tests compared to 37% of heterosexuals
Addressing Education & Health Literacy
When it comes to the in-office care experience, individuals with a high school degree or lower are 12% more likely to feel discriminated against than those with an associate’s degree or higher.
Those with a lower education level indicate at-home testing would make them:
feel more engaged in their healthcare
take a more preventive approach
Feelings of Discrimination Based on Education Level
High school degree or lower
By enabling more individuals to access necessary healthcare services from home, at-home care solutions can mitigate prohibitive factors associated with socioeconomic status, geography, discrimination, and health literacy.
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