Graduation Year
2023
Document Type
Senior Thesis
Degree
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Primary Major
Nursing
Primary Minor
Psychology
Thesis Advisor
Patricia Harris, PhD, RN, CNS
Abstract
One barrier to obtaining healthcare in the United States (U.S.) has been the type of healthcare insurance that someone has. It is important for nurses to understand the impact of the patient’s access to care, which is a factor in their health outcomes. Health insurance, race and ethnicity, income, and zip code are at the top of a long list of social determinants of health that affects where and how they receive care. To find out more about how barriers to obtaining healthcare affect outcomes, I researched various types of barriers around the country. It is important to understand how outcomes of care are affected by roadblocks that prevent patients from obtaining care.
This thesis will include a review of the research literature to examine how barriers to healthcare, such as insurance, affect patient outcomes and continuity of care. Literature that is discussed includes racial and ethnic disparities of care and treatment, continuity of care for those with chronic diseases, and emergency department use in relation to insurance. Based on the findings of the research examined in the literature review, a proposal for further research is presented.