Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix

1 Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix Barriers to Health Care provision in Underdeveloped Countries Research studies focusing on healthcare provision in the developing world confirms that a huge proportion of those living in developing nations often goes without healthcare that would benefit them immensely. The poor in these regions are less likely to receive preventative care or treatment for major diseases. The quality of care provided to those that can afford it does not match the proposed standards.

Africa and the Middle East are grouped under developing nations where provision and access to care are far below the proposed World Health Organization levels. People in these regions suffer and succumb to preventable and curable diseases (Holtz, 2020). Diseases such as malaria, measles, diarrhea that have been contained in the developed countries are still a huge health burden in emerging nations.

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2 The challenges of providing healthcare in undeveloped nations are two-faced. On the supply face, the people are not provided with safe, effective, high-quality care. On the demand face, the people are financially incapable of purchasing most of the necessary healthcare services. High quality and specialized care services are out of reach for most people as poverty hinders research and the implementation of new technologies (Claborn, 2018).

Further, multinational companies rarely invest in research initiatives focusing on diseases that affect the poor. Research is pegged on market forces, which are rarely influenced by the global poor (Bright, Felix, Kuper, & Polack, 2017). The discrepancies in healthcare technology access, investment in research, and healthcare spending are major contributors to global health disparities.

Concerns regarding the level, distribution, and quality of health in socioeconomically disadvantaged populations demand more stringent measures to arrest the disparities. The failure to take the right action will lead to more poor people suffering from diseases that have been eradicated elsewhere.

Strategies to Address Challenges Healthcare professionals, policymakers, health leaders, and other professionals have proposed a wide range of measures to address healthcare provision challenges to the poor in developing countries. One of these strategies is tackling the issues related to supply and demand.

Investment in research is one of the proposed initiatives to address the healthcare provision challenges. The World Health Organization, the Global Forum for Health Research, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations are international organizations supporting health research in developing nations. These organizations

3 are gradually increasing the finances allocated to researchers and research organizations in developing countries (Ashton, 2016).

Various countries have also made major strides towards the implementation of universal health care. Unfortunately, the lack of financial resources still holds them back. Therefore, health inequality is still a major challenge (Detels, 2015). Developed nations and international health organizations provide aids and grants to these nations to boost the fight against health inequality.

Developing nations are also increasingly investing in education. Education can potentially improve the health literacy level of the people. Many people in these countries can now obtain safer jobs, participate in health research, and avoid riskier behaviors.

Eradicating the barrier of distance can also address the health challenges facing the global poor. This initiative requires healthcare services to be taken closer to the people (Detels, 2015).

The emerging nations can achieve this objective through infrastructure development and the employment of more healthcare professionals.

The factors that influence access to Adequate Health Care A high level of poverty is certainly the biggest contributor to the health gap between wealthy and developing nations. Most of the poor people live below $1 per day. This population cannot afford most of the basic healthcare services that cost way above $1 (Jakovljevic, Groot & Souliotis, 2016). Other significant contributors to this gap are ethnicity, age, residential location, gender, disability, and socioeconomic status. Geographical location, for instance, hinders many poor people from accessing healthcare facilities. A lack of proper infrastructure implies that people living in remote locations cannot access healthcare facilities in times of need. Another factor that influences access to care is education. Health literacy is lower in developing countries

4 than in developed countries (Howe, 2020). Subsequently, residents rarely engage in preventative health activities, let alone seek timely treatment for acute and chronic diseases.

Advocating at the Global Level Nurses can join national and international nurses’ organizations such as the International Council of Nurses to strengthen their voice against healthcare inequalities. These organizations provide nurses with a platform to influence health policy and resource allocation to address challenges experienced while providing healthcare to the poor (Mason, Gardner, Outlaw & O'Grady, 2020). Nurses can also work with local leaders and community members to identify health issues that require immediate attention. Working with the community provides nurses with an opportunity to appreciate the health needs of the people. Nurses also get a clear picture of the people’s response to various health issues (Ashton, 2016). Eventually, nurses can collaborate with other professionals to devise tactics for addressing the health needs of the vulnerable in the community.

5 References Ashton, J. (2016). Oxford Textbook of Global Public Health. Oxford University Press Bright, T., Felix, L., Kuper, H., & Polack, S. (2017). A systematic review of strategies to increase access to health services among children in low and middle-income countries.

BMC Health Services Research, 17(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-017-2180-9 Claborn, D. (Ed.). (2018). Current issues in global health. BoD–Books on Demand.

Detels, R. (Ed.). (2015). Oxford textbook of global public health (Vol. 2). Oxford Textbook.

Holtz, C. (Ed.). (2020). Global health care: Issues and policies. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

Howe, A. (2020). Tackling causes and consequences of health inequalities: A practical guide.

Taylor & Francis Group Jakovljevic, M., Groot, W., & Souliotis, K. (2016). Health care financing and affordability in the emerging global markets. Frontiers Media SA. Mason, D. J., Gardner, D. B., Outlaw, F. H., & O'Grady, E. T. (2020). Policy & politics in nursing and health care-e-book. Elsevier Health Sciences.