Barriers to Accessing Pediatric Health Care: A Focus on Health Equity in the UK
Louise Brennan1,2,3, Liz Brewster3, Judith Lunn3
1Newcastle City Council, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
Insights
Economic barriers hinder healthcare access for children in the UK, despite free services. Addressing socioeconomic deprivation requires systemic changes and national policy to achieve true health equity.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric healthcare access
- Health equity research
- Socioeconomic determinants of health
Background:
- Health inequities persist in the UK, particularly for children and families facing socioeconomic deprivation.
- Economic barriers impede access to healthcare services, even when services are free at the point of delivery.
- Understanding these barriers is crucial for achieving health equity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and analyze socioeconomic barriers to healthcare access for children and families in the UK.
- To explore the experiences of healthcare providers regarding these barriers.
- To inform strategies for improving healthcare accessibility and equity.
Main Methods:
- Thematic analysis of qualitative data from a large study involving UK pediatric healthcare providers.
- Utilized Rapid Research Evaluation and Appraisal Lab (RREAL) methodology for data analysis.
- Consulted 217 staff across 9 secondary and tertiary pediatric care providers.
Main Results:
- Identified two primary intersectional themes of barriers: economic factors and system accessibility.
- Detailed examples of how these barriers manifest in pediatric care.
- Highlighted existing approaches to address identified access issues.
Conclusions:
- Healthcare decision-makers, clinicians, and staff should evaluate service accessibility based on identified themes.
- National policy interventions are necessary to address systemic sensitivities and prevent widening inequities.
- A coordinated approach is needed to overcome economic and systemic barriers to child healthcare access.
Introduction:
To achieve health equity, we must first understand health inequities. This article focuses on socioeconomic deprivation and associated barriers to accessing health care for children and their families in the UK, where, despite care being free at the point of delivery, economic barriers to health care access remain.
Methods:
Thematic analysis of findings from a large qualitative study with providers of secondary and tertiary pediatric care in the UK. Rapid research evaluation and appraisal lab methodology was used to analyze data and identify themes.
Results:
A total of 217 staff were consulted at all levels within 9 pediatric health care providers. Barriers to health care access were categorized under 2 intersectional themes: economic barriers and system accessibility. Examples of approaches to address barriers are presented and discussed.
Conclusion:
Decision-makers, clinicians, and staff at all levels are encouraged to consider the accessibility of their services against the key themes identified in this study. To fully address equity, national policy is required to address system sensitivities and avoid unregulated approaches for certain groups/specialties widening the inequities they aim to address.
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