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Experience of Healthcare Access in Australia during the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Tegan Podubinski

    (Department of Rural Health, The University of Melbourne, Wangaratta, VIC 3677, Australia)

  • Louise Townsin

    (Research Office, Torrens University Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia)

  • Sandra C. Thompson

    (Western Australian Centre for Rural Health, University of Western Australia, Geraldton, WA 6531, Australia)

  • Anna Tynan

    (Darling Downs Health, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia
    Southern Queensland Rural Health, The University of Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia)

  • Geoff Argus

    (Southern Queensland Rural Health, The University of Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia)

Abstract

Changes in health-seeking behaviours and challenges in accessing care have been reported during the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative study examines Australian experiences related to healthcare access during the early months of the pandemic. The study aimed to identify key areas of concern as well as opportunities for services to prevent, manage and treat health concerns when normal access was disrupted. Fifty-nine semi-structured interviews were analysed. Participants were interviewed between August and December in 2020 over telephone or Zoom and were located across Australia. Rapid identification of themes with an audio recordings technique was used to generate themes from the data. Participants described a variety of influences on their health-seeking behaviours, resulting in decisions to delay care or being unable to reach care. Many individuals accessed health services via telehealth and offered a range of perceptions and views on its effectiveness and appropriateness. The findings illustrate that maintenance of health and access to healthcare and psychosocial support were compromised for some individuals, leading to negative impacts on both mental and physical health. This highlights the need to provide mechanisms to facilitate a person’s ability to access care in a timely manner during a pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Tegan Podubinski & Louise Townsin & Sandra C. Thompson & Anna Tynan & Geoff Argus, 2021. "Experience of Healthcare Access in Australia during the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-15, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:20:p:10687-:d:654271
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Thaddeus, Sereen & Maine, Deborah, 1994. "Too far to walk: Maternal mortality in context," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 38(8), pages 1091-1110, April.
    2. Alicia Núñez & S. D. Sreeganga & Arkalgud Ramaprasad, 2021. "Access to Healthcare during COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-12, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Giacomo Pietro Vigezzi & Paola Bertuccio & Andrea Amerio & Cristina Bosetti & Davide Gori & Luca Cavalieri d’Oro & Licia Iacoviello & David Stuckler & Alberto Zucchi & Silvano Gallus & Anna Odone & Lo, 2022. "Older Adults’ Access to Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results from the LOckdown and LifeSTyles (LOST) in Lombardia Project," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-14, September.
    2. David Nelson & Samuel Cooke & Ben McLeod & Agnes Nanyonjo & Ros Kane & Mark Gussy, 2022. "A Rapid Systematic Review on the Experiences of Cancer Survivors Residing in Rural Areas during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-17, December.

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