Healthcare Barriers in Honduras

Healthcare Barriers in Honduras

Presenter(s)

Andie Marie Lang, Grace Marie Schneider, Oluwayemisi Omobonike Tayo-Ayorinde

Comments

Presentation: 3:00-4:15, Kennedy Union Ballroom

Description

In the United States, healthcare is provided through a combination of private insurance, public government programs (e.g. Medicaid and Medicare), and out-of-pocket payments (Commonwealth Fund 2020). However, the Honduran healthcare system is provided by the Ministry of Health and funded by the government through the NHS (National Healthcare System), which aims to provide equal access to medical services to its citizens (Global Financial Security 2023). While this may seem like an ideal institution, it is estimated that almost 20% of the country lacks access to healthcare services (International Health Partners 2023). In the NHS system, basic healthcare is free, but families are responsible for their loved one's advanced medical care (e.g., non-life saving procedures, medications, palliative and hospice care), meals, and other additional costs making healthcare unaffordable for most individuals (Etheridge 2023). Additionally, many rural Honduran communities encounter other barriers including long travel times/distances, availability of transportation, inability to take time off work, lack of alternative childcare, and even that they are too ill to travel at all. Almost half of the country lives below the poverty line, struggling to live on less than $5.50 a day, and more than 25% of the population is in extreme poverty (International Health Partners 2023). Furthermore, there is a limited presence of health personnel in the country, with only 0.3 physicians existing per 1,000 people, compared to the UK’s figure of 5.8 (International Health Partners 2023). Access to healthcare for rural Hondurans is commonly made possible through international relief efforts by organizations such as Americares and Global Brigades.This poster aims to evaluate the primary barriers to healthcare access, the effect lack of access to care has on Honduras’ population, and the international aid initiatives that attempt to enhance healthcare in Honduras.

Publication Date

4-17-2024

Project Designation

Capstone Project

Primary Advisor

Kathleen C. Scheltens

Primary Advisor's Department

Premedical Programs

Keywords

Stander Symposium, College of Arts and Sciences

Institutional Learning Goals

Vocation

Healthcare Barriers in Honduras

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