Lack of Access to Pediatric Healthcare

By Meera Palaniapppan

Around 20.3 million children in the United States lack access to basic healthcare. This can be incredibly stressful and even scary if your child has pressing health issues and cannot be diagnosed or treated properly. Children lack the autonomy and independence to seek professional medical care and are reliant on their parents. However, in several cases, there are external factors at play which inhibit a parents ability to provide such care. This is especially seen in more rural areas. Rural populations tend to have higher rates of poverty, unlikely to have health insurance, and are much further away from healthcare services and providers. When parents have to work extra hours and children are in school, coordinating appointments can be difficult especially if you live further away. This includes communication with the provider and the school to schedule an appointment. Currently there is a need for more pediatric professionals due to a healthcare provider shortage. The amount of children who suffer from chronic conditions that need care is increasing in the United States. This applies to asthma, diabetes, obesity, and many more critical conditions. Health professionals are also unevenly distributed across the country. This, again, makes it harder for those who live in rural areas to gain access. From 2016 to 2019, the number of individuals in pediatric healthcare increased by 1.8% while providers who treat adults increased by 4.6%.

Even when parents want to provide for their children, barriers prevent them from attaining access. This can be related to financial or non-financial aspects. Financial barriers stem from the costs associated with a health coverage plan that parents cannot afford, which prevents them and their children from receiving care. Increasingly high copays, deductibles, and inability to purchase prescription drugs are all contributing factors. Many providers also do not take certain types of health insurance. In many situations, there may only be one provider in a large household with children. 13.1 million families have reported that they cannot pay medical bills. This is an incredibly alarming statistic which highlights the amount of children and families who go without medical care simply due to their inability to pay. Non-financial aspects relate to geographic location or problems with transportation to one’s provider. Many parents also have limited English proficiency which hinders their ability to read and understand complex language embedded in medical documents and healthcare coverage plans. Racial disparities play a large role in healthcare providers discriminating against certain groups and ethnicities, especially those who are black. There is a negative stigma around black individuals which leads to improper medical care, mistrust, and lack of commutation. There is also a shortage of black, Hispanic, and Asian-American physicians. Families that belong to ethnic groups may find that there are less diverse healthcare providers around them and become more reluctant to go do white healthcare providers near them due to racial stigmas and discrimination.

Access to healthcare is restricted which means children cannot grow to their full emotional and physical potential. In many circumstances, when conditions are caught earlier on in a child’s life, it is easier to treat. When left unchecked, there is an increased risk of developing preventable diseases and conditions and this can have a significant impact on a family's lifestyle. Children who come from low income families and are of color are more vulnerable to exposure to pollution, contaminants, and illness or disability.

Many of the issues relating to lack of access to healthcare stem from socioeconomic status and racial discrimination. In order to make progress on the health for children and future generations, changes must be made regarding structural racism which causes financial and non-financial disparities.