Community Analysis: A Collaborative Community Practice Project

Health Care Access: A Consumer Perspective

“…Many of the consumers' concerns shared during focus group sessions corroborated those from the previous survey of health and social service providers. Providers indicated service gaps in the following areas: “primary care physicians who accept Medicaid clients; low‐cost dental services; low‐cost counseling services for conditions such as eating disorders, drug and alcohol abuse, and mental health; long‐term transitional housing for chemically dependent women with children; low‐income housing for displaced mothers; and inpatient drug treatment programs for the indigent and single women with children” ( Barker et al, 1994, p 116). They also reported that potential clients faced the following barriers in accessing their agencies' services: “lack of awareness of services, attitudes of service providers as perceived by clients, lack of transportation … waiting time for appointments, transient population, distrust of government system, previous negative contacts with agencies and lack of child care” ( Barker et al, 1994, p. 116).…”

“…To address this problem, the group asked ICNE CHN faculty to assist them in designing and implementing a research project that would systematically obtain relevant information from both providers and consumers. Information regarding providers' perceptions has been reported elsewhere ( Barker et al, 1994).…”

“…Characteristics of the health delivery system focused on resources and organization. A prior study conducted by the investigators identified available health resources in the Spokane community ( Barker et al, 1994). In the current study, the level of health care services perceived as needed ranged from preventive to acute/rehabilitative services.…”

“…This group also provided feedback to the research team throughout the process of development and pilot‐testing of instruments to assure content validity. In addition, the study built upon a study that determined health care utilization and access issues from the perspective of agencies that provided health and social services to homeless and uninsured persons in Spokane ( Barker et al, 1994).…”

Ensuring Public Health Nursing in Managed Care: Partnerships for Healthy Communities

“…Health care reform provides rich opportunities for collaboration between service and academia (Barker, Bayne, Higgs, et al, 1994). Health professional schools can take an active leadership role in the preparation of practitioners Editorial 71 for the 21st century and in shaping the values and directions of the health care system.…”