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?

220,705 thoughts on “Important Determinants of Health

  1. Cool stuff you have got and you keep update all of us. Visit our site for marketing details at
    Crypto

    Reply

  2. Your writing is perfect and complete. totosite However, I think it will be more wonderful if your post includes additional topics that I am thinking of. I have a lot of posts on my site similar to your topic. Would you like to visit once?

    Reply

  3. Pretty useful article. I merely stumbled upon your internet site and wanted to say that I’ve very favored learning your weblog posts. Any signifies I’ll be subscribing with your feed and I hope you publish once additional soon. 메이저사이트

    Reply

  4. This is a site that provides the best information, don’t forget to also visit our official website which provides various types of interesting information okay: slot gacor

    Reply

  5. DedicatedHosting4u can assist you in taking your internet business to new heights. A dedicated hosting server is an excellent choice if you’re serious about your business. Reliable dedicated hosting

    Reply

  6. Ya I even have used the acai berry supplement .It is terribly effective and it does’nt take too much time to point out the result. pos4d

    Reply

  7. If you’re looking for the cheapest assignment helper in Malaysia, Malaysiaassignmenthelp.com is the place to go because we have qualified academic writers who can help you earn great grades on your projects at very inexpensive costs.

    Reply

  8. Actually I read it yesterday but I had some thoughts about it and today I wanted to read it again because it is very well written. winner77

    Reply

  9. Hello ! I am the one who writes posts on these topics baccaratsite I would like to write an article based on your article. When can I ask for a review?

    Reply

  10. Pretty good post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed reading your blog posts. Any way I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you post again soon. Big thanks for the useful info. covid-19 testing

    Reply

  11. Kalian bisa menjadi bandar kartu didalam HKB Gaming untuk bermain dengan player lainnya. Hal ini mempermudah dan mengabulkan keinginan player yang menginginkan card game multifungsi.

    Reply

  12. There couple of fascinating points with time in this post but I don’t know if these center to heart. There’s some validity but I am going to take hold opinion until I explore it further. Excellent article , thanks and we want more! Added to FeedBurner likewise link pos4d

    Reply

  13. I have been exploring for a bit for any high quality articles or blog posts in this kind of space . Exploring in Yahoo I ultimately stumbled upon this web site. Studying this information So i am glad to show that I have a very excellent uncanny feeling I discovered just what I needed. I such a lot unquestionably will make sure to do not disregard this website and give it a look regularly. link pos4d

    Reply

  14. Beneficial story! I must say i relished their digesting. I hope to view greater of your stuff. It is my opinion you have got remarkable information along with visualization. What i am remarkably encouraged using resources. crichd

    Reply

  15. Your article has answered the question I was wondering about! I would like to write a thesis on this subject, but I would like you to give your opinion once 😀 baccaratcommunity

    Reply

  16. I like your post and all you share with us is up to date and quite informative, I would like to bookmark the page so I can come here again to read you, as you have done a wonderful job. 토토커뮤니티

    Reply

  17. You have a certifiable limit with regards to making one out of a sort substance. I like how you think and the manner in which you address your points of view in this article. I agree with your mentality. Thankful to you for sharing. live22 ฝาก 1 บาท รับ 99

    Reply

  18. 팁들 주셔서 감사합니다. 그들은 모두 훌륭했습니다. 나는 정신적으로나 육체적으로 뚱뚱해지는 데 문제가 있습니다. 여러분 덕분에 개선을 보여주고 있습니다. 더 게시하십시오. 꽁머니

    Reply

  19. I really thank you for the valuable info on this great subject and look forward to more great posts. Thanks a lot for enjoying this beauty article with me. I am appreciating it very much! Looking forward to another great article. Good luck to the author! All the best! ready made brands for sale

    Reply

  20. I truly value this superb post that you have accommodated us. I guarantee this would be helpful for a large portion of the general population. 출장안마

    Reply

  21. This is very interesting, You are a very skilled blogger. I have joined your feed and look forward to seeking more of your wonderful post. Also, I have shared your site in my social networks! roblox girl

    Reply

  22. Panera Bread Holiday Hours – Panera Bread deals in Soups‌, Salads, Pastries & Sweets, Drinks,
    Sandwiches, Pasta, Sandwiches, cheese, Freshly Baked Breads and Desserts. ‌

    Panera Bread services feature a unique blend of quick-serve speed mixed with quality and flavour.

    Panera Bread Holiday Hours

    Reply

  23. Can I just say what a aid to seek out someone who really knows what theyre speaking about on the internet. You definitely know the way to carry a difficulty to mild and make it important. More people need to read this and perceive this aspect of the story. I cant imagine youre not more fashionable because you positively have the gift. UK Provisional Fake ID

    Reply

  24. Thanks for the valuable information, We are passionately engaged in providing an exclusive array of keyway broaching tools. Keyway is the most important operation in deciding the life of transmission equipments like, gear box, pulleys, sprockets, clutch wheel.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

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