Dl. Williamson et Je. Fast, POVERTY AND MEDICAL-TREATMENT - WHEN PUBLIC-POLICY COMPROMISES ACCESSIBILITY, Canadian journal of public health, 89(2), 1998, pp. 120-124
Purpose: To explore poor Edmontonians' access to medical treatment ser
vices. Methods: Data were collected during interviews with 130 poor Ed
montonians. Results: 38% of study participants had failed to obtain ph
ysician services when they were sick or bothered by a health problem,
and 40% who had been prescribed a medication hi nor filled the prescri
ption. participants experienced three main barriers to access: lack of
money, lack of comprehensive health care coverage, and lack of afford
able transportation. Finding suggest that a variety of health care and
social assistance policies Limit access to treatment services for peo
ple living in poor Families. Conclusion. Despite the principles of the
Canada Health Acr, access to medical treatment is nor based solely on
need, but is tied, in part, to income. There is a need For health car
e, social, and economic policies that aim to reduce the barriers that
limit access to physician services and prescription medications by peo
ple living in poverty.