Posted on 141,505 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?

141,505 thoughts on “Important Determinants of Health”

  2. 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 vivo y20 price in tanzania

    Reply

  4. Hello I am so delighted I located your blog, I really located you by mistake, while I was watching on google for something else, Anyways I am here now and could just like to say thank for a tremendous post and a all round entertaining website. Please do keep up the great work. infinix smart hd

    Reply

  6. 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 samsung galaxy a32 5g

    Reply

  11. Only attempt to say 1’s created articles is commonly as fantastic. This clarity together with your publish-up is great! Thanks an excellent offer, many hundreds of together with you should go with regards to the pleasurable obtain the job done. สมัครslotpg

    Reply

  13. Excellent web site! Does one’ve any Thoughts and hints for aspiring writers? Considering the fact that I’m heading to start out my Web-site quickly, but I’m a tad lose on Practically every thing. Several lots of many thanks! สมัครslotpg

    Reply

  14. olabahis.info

    Yüksek oranlı maçlar olabahis adresinde güncel adreslere giriş yapmak için olabahis.info adresinden ulaşabilirsiniz.

    Reply

  15. palizgerdo.comنهالستان پالیز گردو بزرگترین مرجع تخصصی نهال گردو؛مرکز فروش نهال گردو جهت خرید نهال کشاورزان، عرضه کننده با کیفیت ترین انواع نهال گردو پیوندی با بهترین قیمت

    Reply

  16. olabahis

    Yüksek oranlı maçlar olabahis adresinde güncel adreslere giriş yapmak için olabahis.info adresinden ulaşabilirsiniz.

    Reply

  17. palizgerdo.comنهالستان پالیز گردو بزرگترین مرجع تخصصی نهال گردو؛مرکز فروش نهال گردو جهت خرید نهال کشاورزان، عرضه کننده با کیفیت ترین انواع نهال گردو پیوندی با بهترین قیمت

    Reply

  31. Why couldn’t I have the same or similar opinions as you? T^T I hope you also visit my blog and give us a good opinion. casinosite

    Reply

  35. Cigar Rests LLC is dedicated to providing our customers with the best in high-end Cigar accessories. #cigarrest #cigar #cigars #ashtray #stogie #cigarrests Knuck Rest

    Reply

  39. พร้อมด้วยสมาชิกที่เข้าเล่นไปทุกวัน มากกว่าแสนราย ต่อวินาที สล็อตเว็บเซ็กซี่ 666 เว็บตรงที่พร้อมทำกำไรอย่างรวดเร็ว สร้างรายได้เข้ากระเป๋าผู้เล่นแบบไม่หยุดหย่อน สะดุดตากับทุกช่องทางการเดิมพันห้องเกม ที่เต็มไปด้วย สาวสวยสุดเซ็กซี่

    Reply

  40. This article was written by a real-thinking writer without a doubt. Need affordable case, study writers? We offer case study writing help for students 24/7 Support and 100% plagiarism-free case study assignment solutions.

    Reply

  47. you can also give your baby some antibacterial baby socks to ensure that your baby is always clean., website

    Reply

Leave a Reply

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