Social justice, access and quality of healthcare in an age of austerity: users’ perspective from rural Iceland
Iceland is sparsely populated but social justice and equity has been emphasised within healthcare. The aim of the study is to examine healthcare services in Fjallabyggð, in rural northern Iceland, from users’ perspective and evaluate social justice, access and quality of healthcare in an age of aust...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2017-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Circumpolar Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2017.1347476 |
| _version_ | 1819212693589983232 |
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| author | Sonja S. Gustafsdottir Kristjana Fenger Sigridur Halldorsdottir Thoroddur Bjarnason |
| author_facet | Sonja S. Gustafsdottir Kristjana Fenger Sigridur Halldorsdottir Thoroddur Bjarnason |
| author_sort | Sonja S. Gustafsdottir |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Iceland is sparsely populated but social justice and equity has been emphasised within healthcare. The aim of the study is to examine healthcare services in Fjallabyggð, in rural northern Iceland, from users’ perspective and evaluate social justice, access and quality of healthcare in an age of austerity. Mixed-method approach with transformative design was used. First, data were collected with questionnaires (response rate of 53% [N=732] in 2009 and 30% [N=415] in 2012), and analysed statistically, followed by 10 interviews with healthcare users (2009 and 2014). The results were integrated and interpreted within Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model. There was significantly less satisfaction with accessibility and variety of healthcare services in 2012 after services downsizing. Solid primary healthcare, good local elderly care, some freedom in healthcare choice and reliable emergency services were considered fundamental for life in a rural area. Equal access to healthcare is part of a fundamental human right. In times of economic downturn, people in rural areas, who are already vulnerable, may become even more vulnerable and disadvantaged, seriously threatening social justice and equity. With severe cutbacks in vitally important healthcare services people may eventually choose to self-migrate. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T06:47:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-31689456ef6a4551879c3b20df88c06f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2242-3982 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T06:47:01Z |
| publishDate | 2017-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Circumpolar Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-31689456ef6a4551879c3b20df88c06f2022-12-21T17:56:33ZengTaylor & Francis GroupInternational Journal of Circumpolar Health2242-39822017-01-0176110.1080/22423982.2017.13474761347476Social justice, access and quality of healthcare in an age of austerity: users’ perspective from rural IcelandSonja S. Gustafsdottir0Kristjana Fenger1Sigridur Halldorsdottir2Thoroddur Bjarnason3University of AkureyriUniversity of AkureyriUniversity of AkureyriUniversity of AkureyriIceland is sparsely populated but social justice and equity has been emphasised within healthcare. The aim of the study is to examine healthcare services in Fjallabyggð, in rural northern Iceland, from users’ perspective and evaluate social justice, access and quality of healthcare in an age of austerity. Mixed-method approach with transformative design was used. First, data were collected with questionnaires (response rate of 53% [N=732] in 2009 and 30% [N=415] in 2012), and analysed statistically, followed by 10 interviews with healthcare users (2009 and 2014). The results were integrated and interpreted within Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model. There was significantly less satisfaction with accessibility and variety of healthcare services in 2012 after services downsizing. Solid primary healthcare, good local elderly care, some freedom in healthcare choice and reliable emergency services were considered fundamental for life in a rural area. Equal access to healthcare is part of a fundamental human right. In times of economic downturn, people in rural areas, who are already vulnerable, may become even more vulnerable and disadvantaged, seriously threatening social justice and equity. With severe cutbacks in vitally important healthcare services people may eventually choose to self-migrate.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2017.1347476Rural communitieshealth care servicessocial justiceequity in healthaccess to health carehuman rightsmixed methodstransformative designusers’ perspectiveIceland |
| spellingShingle | Sonja S. Gustafsdottir Kristjana Fenger Sigridur Halldorsdottir Thoroddur Bjarnason Social justice, access and quality of healthcare in an age of austerity: users’ perspective from rural Iceland International Journal of Circumpolar Health Rural communities health care services social justice equity in health access to health care human rights mixed methods transformative design users’ perspective Iceland |
| title | Social justice, access and quality of healthcare in an age of austerity: users’ perspective from rural Iceland |
| title_full | Social justice, access and quality of healthcare in an age of austerity: users’ perspective from rural Iceland |
| title_fullStr | Social justice, access and quality of healthcare in an age of austerity: users’ perspective from rural Iceland |
| title_full_unstemmed | Social justice, access and quality of healthcare in an age of austerity: users’ perspective from rural Iceland |
| title_short | Social justice, access and quality of healthcare in an age of austerity: users’ perspective from rural Iceland |
| title_sort | social justice access and quality of healthcare in an age of austerity users perspective from rural iceland |
| topic | Rural communities health care services social justice equity in health access to health care human rights mixed methods transformative design users’ perspective Iceland |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2017.1347476 |
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