Poverty and medical treatment: when public policy compromises accessibility.
OBJECTIVE
To explore poor Edmontonians' access to medical treatment services.


METHODS
Data were collected during interviews with 130 poor Edmontonians.


RESULTS
38% of study participants had failed to obtain physician services when they were sick or bothered by a health problem, and 40% who had been prescribed a medication had not filled the prescription. Participants experienced three main barriers to access: lack of money, lack of comprehensive health care coverage, and lack of affordable transportation. Findings suggest that a variety of health care and social assistance policies limit access to treatment services for people living in poor families.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the principles of the Canada Health Act, access to medical treatment is not based solely on need, but is tied, in part, to income. There is a need for health care, social, and economic policies that aim to reduce the barriers that limit access to physician services and prescription medications by people living in poverty.
Williamson
D L
DL
Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton. deanna.williamson@ualberta.ca
Fast
J E
JE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001955:British Columbia; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003710:Demography; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011203:Poverty; D012494:Sampling Studies