Access to medicines among internally displaced and non-displaced people in urban areas in Colombia

Abstract

This study analyzes access to medicines among displaced and non-displaced populations in urban areas in Bucaramanga, Colombia. A household survey was carried out to study access to medicines for self-reported and medically diagnosed health conditions. Multiple Poisson regression with robust variance was used to determine factors associated with access to medicines. Two thousand and sixty individuals from 514 families participated. Only 29.1% (95%CI: 22.04-37.08) of the individuals in the sample with prescriptions and 44.3% (95%CI: 40.42-48.25) with self-reported needs for pharmacotherapy were taking medicines. Greater access was associated with the perceived severity of the illness, higher income, having a health center nearby and not perceiving barriers in accessing services. Social security affiliation and being displaced were not related. Social security coverage alone does not have an effect on access to medicines because it does not include essential medicines that correspond to the health needs of this population. Resolving administrative and geographical barriers is likely to improve access to medicines.

Challenges of health services related to the population displaced by violence in Mexico

“…Based on the results, the main challenges for the Mexican health system would be 23 – 25 , 45 , 49 , 50 , 62 , 69 , 73 , 75 , 83 , 92 :…”

“…In particular, this aspect becomes relevant in care models that have an explicit homogeneous benefit plan that affects a series of psychosocial health problems, which are excluded from the care. For example, mental health problems have not been adequately addressed in Colombia because the mental health services included in the benefit plan are not enough to meet the perceived need 49 . Managed care models have also shown that they are not sensitive to the care of mental health problems 95 .…”

The social determinants of health and health seeking behaviour in populations affected by armed conflict: a qualitative systematic review

“…These rights are compromised in populations affected by conflicts despite global efforts to increase universal health coverage (Boerma et al 2014;Reich et al 2016;WHO 2014). Conflict affected populations are at risk of limited or no access to basic health services (Cope 2011;Herp et al 2003;Krause, Meyers, and Friedlander 2006;Mullany et al 2008;Pottie et al 2015;Ruiz-Rodríguez et al 2012). One reason for this may be that conflict alters health seeking behaviour in the affected individuals.…”

Prevalencia de síntomas, posibles casos y trastornos mentales en víctimas del conflicto armado interno en situación de desplazamiento en Colombia: una revisión sistemática

“…En el ámbito de la salud, la discriminación de las personas víctimas del conflicto armado interno se materializa en barreras de accesos a servicios integrales de salud, en atención psicosocial deficiente o de dudosa calidad y en todo el proceso de fragmentación de la atención cuando se logra acceder al sistema de salud 52,[64][65][66] . No obstante, con frecuencia la medicalización es la única puerta de acceso a las instituciones del Estado con que cuentan estas personas para el reconocimiento oficial como víctimas del conflicto y poder aspirar a algunas de medidas de reparación o apoyo institucional oficial 67 .…”