World Journal of Public Health

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Health Equity and Access to Health Care in Trinidad and Tobago

Received: 23 June 2018    Accepted: 13 July 2018    Published: 14 August 2018
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Abstract

Health inequity persists, particularly in developing countries. This study explores access to public health care and equity. This descriptive study was conducted using a review of the literature, print media, health reports, and patient experiences. Health accessibility links to equity were analysed, focusing on inequity in healthcare access, challenges in accessing services (long waiting times, non-available pharmaceuticals), poor public health (murder, rape, and other crimes, traffic accidents, traffic congestion, divorce, and unemployment), and misrepresentations of health guidelines. The necessary out-of-pocket spending disfavours the poor and favours the rich who, by purchasing basic health services, have greater access to public health services. The negative public health environment increases the health burden and imposes healthcare requirements which further disfavour the poor in particular, while informal networks favour the rich. Shortfalls in health services and public health necessitate out-of-pocket spending, which also dis-favours the poor and favours the rich.

DOI 10.11648/j.wjph.20180303.13
Published in World Journal of Public Health (Volume 3, Issue 3, September 2018)
Page(s) 83-92
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Basic Health Service, Equity, Healthcare, Inequity, Primary Constraints, Trinidad and Tobago

References
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Author Information
  • Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

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    Mandreker Bahall. (2018). Health Equity and Access to Health Care in Trinidad and Tobago. World Journal of Public Health, 3(3), 83-92. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20180303.13

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    Mandreker Bahall. Health Equity and Access to Health Care in Trinidad and Tobago. World J. Public Health 2018, 3(3), 83-92. doi: 10.11648/j.wjph.20180303.13

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    AMA Style

    Mandreker Bahall. Health Equity and Access to Health Care in Trinidad and Tobago. World J Public Health. 2018;3(3):83-92. doi: 10.11648/j.wjph.20180303.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.wjph.20180303.13,
      author = {Mandreker Bahall},
      title = {Health Equity and Access to Health Care in Trinidad and Tobago},
      journal = {World Journal of Public Health},
      volume = {3},
      number = {3},
      pages = {83-92},
      doi = {10.11648/j.wjph.20180303.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjph.20180303.13},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.wjph.20180303.13},
      abstract = {Health inequity persists, particularly in developing countries. This study explores access to public health care and equity. This descriptive study was conducted using a review of the literature, print media, health reports, and patient experiences. Health accessibility links to equity were analysed, focusing on inequity in healthcare access, challenges in accessing services (long waiting times, non-available pharmaceuticals), poor public health (murder, rape, and other crimes, traffic accidents, traffic congestion, divorce, and unemployment), and misrepresentations of health guidelines. The necessary out-of-pocket spending disfavours the poor and favours the rich who, by purchasing basic health services, have greater access to public health services. The negative public health environment increases the health burden and imposes healthcare requirements which further disfavour the poor in particular, while informal networks favour the rich. Shortfalls in health services and public health necessitate out-of-pocket spending, which also dis-favours the poor and favours the rich.},
     year = {2018}
    }
    

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