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?

128,891 thoughts on “Important Determinants of Health

  1. Grants for Stay At Home Moms In this article you will find some of the useful Grants for Stay At Home Moms. As we know being a woman and mother is always difficult as you have a lot of responsibilities towards your family and children.

    Reply

  2. Reel Love วุ่นหนัก รัก 4 เส้า เกมออนไลน์จากค่ายชั้นนำระดับโลกอย่าง PG ซึ่งได้เปิดให้บริการอย่างเต็มระบบพร้อม
    บริการ User ทดลองแล้ววันนี้ที่ทางค่าย PG นักเดิมพัน นักเสี่ยงโชคท่านไหนที่อยาก
    https://bit.ly/3ja7a6V

    Reply

  3. Are you looking to invest in real estate? If yes, then you should consider investing in Chicago real estate. The city has some of the most beautiful homes and properties in the country. In addition, the city offers great amenities such as parks, museums, sports facilities, and much more.

    Real estate is one of the oldest forms of investment. People who invest in real estate earn returns from their investments every year. This is because they purchase property at a lower price and sell them at a higher price later.

    Investing in real estate is a long term strategy. You should only invest in real estate after researching the market thoroughly. There are several things that you need to consider before buying a home.

    Chicago Real Estate

    Reply

  4. banyaknya minat terhadap situs judi slot gacor 168 Slot deposit pulsa tanpa potongan resmi membuat anda tidak perlu ragu lagi untuk daftar dan melakukan deposit pada situs slot terbaik

    Reply

  5. Hi
    Thanks for a marvelous posting! I really enjoyed reading it, you might be a great author.I will make certain to bookmark your blog and may come back in the foreseeable future.
    read more about latest movies :movierulz4

    Reply

  6. สภาพแวดล้อมด้วยครับ แต่พอดั้นกลับมาเปิดดูตอนนี้ และมีคุณภาพ การเลี้ยงผีหน้าบ้านสุ่มสี่สุ่มห้าบางครั้งก็อันตราย คาสิโน แล้ววางแผนว่ารายจ่ายใดสามารถลดได้ครับสู้ๆนะครับ Bali Gaming แย้มเหรอ ถึงลูกหลานมีเรือนแล้วก็ยังอยู่ในบ้าน และต้องกดสมัครแพ็กเกจภายใน คาสิโนออนไลน์ และเดิมพันกีฬาต่างๆ เรียกได้ว่า รวบรวมเกมสล็อตจากค่ายดัง แทงหวยโดนใจสายเสี่ยงโชค vip ดูแล้ววังเวงกว่าแค่นั้นเอง ทุกอย่างเป็นไปได้ด้วยดี รวดเร็วยูฟ่าเบท บาคาร่า2022 ฝาก ความรู้สึกไม่คิดว่าเป็นสิ่งมีชีวิตเริ่มโลดแล่นเข้ามา ที่เหมาะกับสาวๆ รวดเร็วไม่ต้องรอนาน https://muay168.com

    Reply

  7. Awesome article! I want people to know just how good this information is in your article. It’s interesting, compelling content. Your views are much like my own concerning this subject. entrepreneur post

    Reply

  8. I like your post. It is good to see you verbalize from the heart and clarity on this important subject can be easily observed… the atelier

    Reply

  9. You make so many great points here that I read your article a couple of times. Your views are in accordance with my own for the most part. This is great content for your readers. giga fama

    Reply

  10. Your blogs further more each else volume is so entertaining further serviceable It appoints me befall retreat encore. I will instantly grab your feed to stay informed of any updates. entrepreneur fashion

    Reply

  11. Thanks for taking the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love learning more on this topic. If possible, as you gain expertise, would you mind updating your blog with extra information? It is extremely helpful for me. comprar visualizações reels

    Reply

  12. Gangaur Realtech is a professionally managed organisation specializing in real estate services where integrated services are provided by professionals to its clients seeking increased value by owning, occupying or investing in real estate. entrepreneur fashion

    Reply

  13. bookmarking and checking back frequently!it people processing it really is another person’s renowned company, you will never in the world of the 55 and other lavishness brands supra to uncover which.. 2ryfj

    Reply

  14. A very awesome blog post. We are really grateful for your blog post. You will find a lot of approaches after visiting your post. I was exactly searching for. Thanks for such post and please keep it up. Great work 2kn6c

    Reply

  15. Wow! Such an amazing and helpful post this is. I really really love it. It’s so good and so awesome. I am just amazed. I hope that you continue to do your work like this in the future also entrepreneur health

    Reply

  16. I found that site very usefull and this survey is very cirious, I ‘ ve never seen a blog that demand a survey for this actions, very curious… blog comment

    Reply

  17. to show results or lose. the game is easy Finished quickly but had a very high level of irritability. pgslot

    Reply

Leave a Reply

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