Posted on 139,068 Comments on Important Determinants of Health

Important Determinants of Health →

As local communities continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding the population and resource availability becomes increasingly important. Accessibility and affordability of healthcare are crucial during these times, as the virus does not discriminate against whom it affects. While the pandemic has caused changes in everyone’s lives, individuals without health insurance, access to transportation, and access to mental health services are a part of the population that is being particularly negatively affected.

To focus on the specific challenges faced by a local community during this pandemic, this blog will focus on the Albany, New York area and its population (1).

Health Insurance

In the U.S., there are over 28 million uninsured individuals (2). It can be incredibly expensive to try and afford basic care without health insurance, and patients without health insurance are limited in the providers they can see and make appointments with. Uninsured people are therefore far less likely to get medical care, which means they are not receiving yearly checkups and don’t have access to preventative measures, such as cancer screenings or blood pressure tests. In many cases, medical care is only sought in emergencies.

While the uninsured rate in New York has decreased in recent years, there are few options for those that are uninsured in Albany. One of these options is Surya Immediate Medical Care– while not currently accepting any ill patients due to the pandemic, the center accepts patients without insurance and allows self-payments. A new visit costs $150, while an established visit costs $100. Charges for additional services like strep tests and x-rays are listed on their website. For dental health, Aspen Dental in Albany is a practice that provides free exams and x-rays on the first visit, without insurance.

Access to Transportation

Being able to make an appointment is one thing, but actually getting to the doctor’s office is another– access to transportation is something that can often prevent patients from receiving the healthcare they need. One of the COVID-19 testing sites in Albany is at SUNY Albany. However, to be tested, individuals need transportation to the testing site and must be in a vehicle when they are being tested. Some resources that provide transportation include UberHealth, Medanswering services for individuals with Medicaid, and CDTA transit for Albany county resident seniors over the age of 60.

More recently, some mobile testing sites have become available and are listed here, which can allow some individuals to have access to testing without needing transportation, depending on where they live.

Mental Health Services

Mental health is an equally large component and contributor to overall health and wellbeing as physical health. With the COVID-19 pandemic, many individuals are experiencing loneliness, anxiety, and other mental health issues as daily lifestyles have changed due to quarantine and social interaction is limited. To try and support individuals at home, some hotlines have become available 24/7 or throughout the week to provide help. A COVID-19 support line is available at (518) 269-6634, from 8 am to 8 pm every day. Additional hotlines and mental health resources in Albany are listed here.

While the Albany area has begun to respond to changes in healthcare availability and accessibility due to the pandemic, there are still some areas that can be improved upon, such as increased access to basic care and preventative services for people who are uninsured. Additionally, access to health insurance, transportation, and mental health services are only a few of the determinants of health and wellbeing– what do you think your local community can improve upon when it comes to the health of its population?

139,068 thoughts on “Important Determinants of Health”

  1. The most famous site at the moment is Waktogel, a game site that is very busy because the process is very fast and reliable, registration is very easy and it also provides an apk for download. Don’t miss out. For more complete information, you can visit the website. https://levelgeek.net/

    Reply

  3. Thanks for sharing this helpful information! It’s quite an interesting topic. Waiting for your next excellent update. philbossapp

    Reply

  4. The idea of convincing your valuable time and all that you have going on in life for online education might appear intimidating. Even though it’s worth each second, there are so many problems to overcome including receiving sick, job demands as well as other errands such as family. The process of taking an online class requires a great deal of independent work, and can become overwhelming when time zone changes and your personal schedule prevent you from fully collaborating with your classmates. Consequently, if you’re not up to taking online classes, you might consider hiring someone to do the work for you. However, there comes a time when you wonder what it costs to Take my online class USA? We discuss our rates and how much it usually costs for a student to take your online class with our professional team!

    Reply

  5. If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much. Mg188

    Reply

  7. Online games are an exciting fantasy world, where we can explore various amazing themes. From adventures in an enchanted forest to exploration in the middle of the ocean, every spin of the wheel takes us into an immersive and enchanting experience. Apart from that, online games also provide the opportunity to achieve big wins and change our lives. For further information, you can visit our website https://00e4.us/

    Reply

  9. I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post. lekdetectie

    Reply

  10. Don’t hesitate to try playing online games, because online games are very exciting games to play, when you play them you will feel a very extraordinary sensation in the game, we here have a very exciting online game site for you. play, if you want to play it please visit our website https://unimall.com.tw/

    Reply

  17. セックスラブグッズを使う際には、パートナーとのコミュニケーションも大切です。お互いの気持ちや好みをしっかり話し合うことで、より満足度の高いセックスライフを楽しむことができます。

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Evermolpro Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *