Barriers to Accessing Care

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Barriers to Accessing Care There are many potential barriers that face many people every day. The main barriers that occur are attitudinal, geographical, physical, psychological, financial and cultural &language barriers. These barriers can affect the most vulnerable of people, from the elderly to low income families. Attitudinal Barriers An attitudinal barrier is when people have negative attitudes and views towards others who may have a disability for example. Prejudices and stereotyping can influence attitudinal barriers, for example, a disabled person in a work environment may be acted against by even the most well meaning of their colleagues, as they might feel pity or feel sorry for them, making a disabled person feel put down and inferior, meaning they don’t work up to their full potential and empower them to having full independence. A stereotype is based on an assumption that generalises a group of people as a whole, that they all have the same characteristics, as opposed to being individuals. This can influence attitudinal barriers because people may act towards certain people in a way that isn’t necessary and could be seen and offensive. The disabled may be discriminated against because people assume that they are unable to speak for themselves, taking away their right to speech. Geographical Barriers A geographical barrier is if a person lives in a rural area and is not able to drive, and there is no transport, preventing them from getting to the destination they need. For example, an elderly person may live in an isolated village with no public transport such as buses or trains and they are also unable to drive, therefore they can’t get to the hospital, meaning they will miss their appointment affecting their health. Financial Barriers Transport can also be linked to a financial barrier, because if a person has to pay for public transport to

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