Posted on 46,276 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?

46,276 thoughts on “Important Determinants of Health”

  26. buy verified paxful account
    We are among the top producers of e-wallets and cryptocurrency wallets. We offer the most affordable, completely safe, and verified Paxful Account. You can order a safe, reliable, and fully confirmed Paxful account from Blackvcc.com

    Reply

  27. apartment for sale in fifth settlement
    A lot of companies are moving today to new cities, especially to New Cairo. Moving there is very attractive, you get to be closer to work, you get to live in a new city with rich facilities. You could search for New Cairo apartments for sale in the First Settlement, Third Settlement, or the Fifth Settlement and it is worth it, here are why?

    Reply

  28. buy neteller account
    Are you looking for Neteller and Skrill accounts in Europe using fake Mastercards? If so, you’ve come to the correct place. For a very little cost, we can offer you completely verified Skrill accounts. You can review the information if you’re interested.

    Reply

  30. Thanks a lot for your interesting article. I have been searching for such message for a very long time. Not all your content is completely clear to me, even though it is definitely interesting and worth reading. shib price prediction 2030

    Reply

  32. buy verified advcash account
    If you’re looking to buy verified advCash account, do not worry about it. I’m confident that it’s 100% safe to buy verified advCash account from us. If account tyou’re considering buying an verified advCash account hrough us, you don’t have to worry about the safety of your account. Here you will find high-quality verified advCash account for sale at a cheap price.

    Reply

  33. After study a few of the content on your internet site now, and i genuinely appreciate your method of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark web site list and will be checking back soon. Pls take a look at my web page likewise and let me know what you believe. 온라인사이트사이트

    Reply

  34. This is also a fair post which I really savored the experience of scrutinizing. It isn’t every day that I have the probability to see something like this.. CCI 11 Percussion Caps

    Reply

  35. Very useful post. This is my first time i visit here. I found so many interesting stuff in your blog especially its discussion. Really its great article. Keep it up. skin care

    Reply

  36. Wonderful article, thanks for putting this together! This is obviously one great post. Thanks for the valuable information and insights you have so provided here. skin treatment

    Reply

  37. It’s late discovering this demonstration. At any rate, it’s a thing to be acquainted with that there are such occasions exist. I concur with your Blog and I will have returned to examine it more later on so please keep up your demonstration. clays powder in stock

    Reply

  38. I absolutely love your blog and find a lot of your post’s to be exactly what I’m looking for. can you offer guest writers to write content for you personally? I wouldn’t mind producing a post or elaborating on many of the subjects you write concerning here.
    All Episode

    Reply

  41. لوله بازکنی

    رفع بوی چاه فاضلاب از دغدغه های اکثر ما بوده است و ما همواره دنبال علت بوی بد چاه برای رفع بوی چاه فاضلاب از محل زندگی خود بوده ایم.

    Reply

  42. Your content is nothing short of brilliant in many ways. I think this is engaging and eye-opening material. Thank you so much for caring about your content and your readers

    Reply

  45. Wujudkan desain website profesional untuk bisnis impian yang mudah dikelola.
    Dapatkan paket pembuatan website sesuai kebutuhan bisnis Anda. Klik link ini semoga bermanfaat bagi anda. Jasa web medan

    Reply

  46. Great write-up, I am regular visitor of one’s blog, maintain up the excellent operate, and It is going to be a regular visitor for a long time. magazine for women

    Reply

  47. کانکس

    کانکس ویلایی | ویلای پیش ساخته | کانکس کارگاهی | گروه صنعتی کانکس آیسان | کانکس | فروش کانکس | خرید کانکس | قیمت کانکس

    Reply

  50. action research

    اقدام پژوهی برای معلمان کلاس درس چیست؟ این روش تحقیق چطور می تواند به بهتر شدن فرآیندهای آموزشی و تربیتی کمک کند؟ چه موضوعاتی را باید برای انجام یک اقدام

    Reply

Leave a Reply

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