It is not a hidden secret that rural communities lack proper access to healthcare systems. Proper availability of healthcare systems will help to detect diseases at the earliest and treat them on time, thereby improving the quality of life. It will also increase the life expectancy of people. Medical professionals as well as government officials are in search of the best methods to provide healthcare services in rural areas and encourage healthcare impartiality. By finding the common challenges in making it possible, healthcare administrators can find ways to improve their service.
Basic Social Conditions
Rural communities are more prone to poverty and chronic illness than urban communities. They do not have access to primary healthcare providers. Even if healthcare services are available, there are other challenges.
- Confidence and trust in their healthcare providers
- Lack of financial stability to access healthcare services
- Lack of transportation
- Lack of time to find the best services
When patients cannot access healthcare services at the right time, their condition may worsen. Thus, the number of patients in rural areas will be higher than those in urban areas. The patients in rural areas will require emergency healthcare more than those from urban areas. This is mainly due to the unavailability of care at the right time makes diseases dangerous. Thus, people may not take screening or preventive steps to avoid diseases.
Challenges Faced By Rural Residents
The lack of resources is the most common challenge faced by rural residents. They keep a long-distance relationship with healthcare professionals and medical facilities. The health literacy rate is also low in rural communities. Some of the obstacles are
- Transportation
Lack of dependable transportation is a big problem faced by rural residents. They have to travel long distances to consult a healthcare professional or specialist. In many places, public transport may not be available and people have to find facilities to reach their doctor. Rural communities have more older people and the lack of transportation will be a huge problem for them. The distance between the healthcare provider and the residents is also a problem as they have to pay more for the travel.
- Shortage Of Healthcare Workers
Even if residents get proper transportation, the unavailability of healthcare workers will deny them proper healthcare. In many places, there is a lack of adequate healthcare workers. The need for healthcare professionals is not equal to the current availability. It will also force the existing workers to work overtime. The government must allocate funds to hire the required professionals to meet the needs. It will help to improve the current medical situation in the rural areas.
- Health Literacy
Rural communities face poverty and they have less access to proper health education, resulting in low health literacy. The unavailability of the internet is also a problem for the low rate of health education. It can affect the well-being of people in the community. Providing internet connection in rural communities can help to solve this problem to an extent.