Dr. Sameer Suhail Tackles the Challenge of Changing Health Behavior
There is no shortage of obstacles to access to healthcare services in underserved communities. From a lack of access to quality patient care and medical resources to higher rates of chronic illness and other health disparities, these communities face significant obstacles to achieving good health, shares Dr. Sameer Suhail. However, some steps can be taken to improve healthcare in underserved areas.
Some of the many crucial steps to transform healthcare and health behaviors include increasing access to medical care, improving communication and education, and working toward addressing the social determinants of health. Through these steps, advocates can begin to make a real difference in the lives of those who need it most.
Increase access to quality care. Healthcare is a fundamental human right, yet millions of people around the world do not have access to quality healthcare services. In underserved communities, healthcare providers and advocates face significant challenges in providing care to vulnerable populations. One of the essential steps they can take to improve healthcare services is to improve access to quality patient care. Often, underserved communities lack the resources and infrastructure needed to provide adequate healthcare. This can be due to a lack of trained healthcare professionals, limited financial resources, or poor healthcare facilities. By improving access to quality patient care, healthcare providers and advocates can help to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to receive the care they need. This can make a tremendous difference in the lives of those who otherwise would not have had access to quality healthcare services. This also means ensuring that people have access to the medical care resources and providers they need when they need them.
Improve communication and health education. One important step for combating healthcare disparities in underserved communities is to improve communication and health education. This can be achieved through a variety of strategies, such as building stronger relationships between healthcare providers and patients, increasing access to healthcare information and resources, and providing tailored health education programs based on the needs of specific communities. This entails ensuring that information about health and wellness is culturally relevant and accessible to those who need it, notes Dr. Sameer Suhail.
Address the social determinants of health. One of the root causes of health disparities in underserved communities is the social determinants of health. These are the conditions in which people are born into, reared, work, live, and age that profoundly impact their health and wellness. Healthcare advocates and communities can begin to level the playing field and improve health outcomes when issues like poverty, racism, and lack of access to quality education and housing are addressed.
It is no secret that healthcare in underserved communities is far from ideal. Many people living in these communities typically struggle with access to healthcare, adequate healthcare services, and healthy health behaviors. Still, many policymakers and healthcare providers are working hard to improve healthcare for these communities, and their efforts represent an important step forward. While there is much work to be done to improve healthcare and health behaviors in underserved communities, these steps are a promising start.
