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Access to Specialty Health Care for Rural American Indians in Two States.
- Source :
- Journal of Rural Health; Summer2008, Vol. 24 Issue 3, p269-278, 10p, 5 Charts
- Publication Year :
- 2008
-
Abstract
- Context: The Indian Health Service (IHS), whose per capita expenditure for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) health services is about half that of the US civilian population, is the only source of health care funding for many rural AI/ANs. Specialty services, largely funded through contracts with outside practitioners, may be limited by low IHS funding levels. Purpose: To examine specialty service access among rural Indian populations in two states. Methods: A 31-item mail survey addressing perceived access to specialty physicians, barriers to access, and access to non-physician clinical services was sent to 106 primary care providers in rural Indian health clinics in Montana and New Mexico (overall response rate 60.4%) and 95 primary care providers in rural non-Indian clinics within 25 miles of the Indian clinics (overall response rate 57.9%). Findings: Substantial proportions of rural Indian clinic providers in both states reported fair or poor non-emergent specialty service access for their patients. Montana's rural Indian clinic providers reported poorer patient access to specialty care than rural non-Indian clinic providers, while New Mexico's rural Indian and non-Indian providers reported comparable access. Indian clinic providers in both states most frequently cited financial barriers to specialty care. Indian clinic providers reported better access to most non-physician services than non-Indian clinic providers. Conclusions: Reported limitations in specialty care access for rural Indian clinic patients appear to be influenced by financial constraints. Health care systems factors may play a role in perceived differences in specialty access between rural Indian and non-Indian clinic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0890765X
- Volume :
- 24
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Rural Health
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 34545421
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-0361.2008.00168.x