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Barriers to Healthcare Access: Adults with Mental Health Challenges
Access to mental health and healthcare is a crucial issue affecting the well-being of individuals and society. This issue has been studied from various sociological perspectives, highlighting different aspects of the problem and providing unique insights. Exploring the issue from the structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionist perspectives gives the different aspects of the problem and analyzes which perspective provides the most comprehensive explanation.
Structural Functionalism
From a structural functionalism perspective, the issue of access to mental health and healthcare is seen as serving essential functions for society. According to Coombs et al. (2021), mental health services are essential for ensuring social stability and promoting well-being. They help individuals cope with psychological distress and prevent adverse outcomes such as suicide and self-harm. The social systems and institutions that support access to mental health and healthcare include healthcare providers, insurance companies, and government agencies. However, there may be dysfunctions when individuals cannot access the care they need due to barriers such as lack of insurance and transportation (Coombs et al., 2021). Despite the challenges and barriers, it is crucial to recognize the importance of mental health and healthcare services in maintaining social stability and promoting well-being for all members of society.
Conflict Theory
From a conflict theory perspective, the issue of access to mental health and healthcare reveals forms of inequality based on social class, race, and gender. Social Solutions (2022) reported that individuals from marginalized communities often face barriers to accessing mental health services due to poverty and discrimination. The power dynamics related to the issue are evident, with insurance companies and government agencies often having more control over access to care than individuals themselves. However, stories about access to mental health and healthcare can contribute to social change by raising awareness about the issue and pushing for policy changes to improve access.
Symbolic Interactionist Theory
From a symbolic interactionist perspective, the issue of access to mental health and healthcare can have different meanings for different individuals and groups. Based on this viewpoint, through interactions with others and personal experiences, individuals form their understanding of the issue at hand. For some, access to it may be a fundamental right, while it may be considered a luxury for others. As an illustration, Social Solutions (2022) states that certain people may perceive mental health care as a luxury because of their economic and social status and the absence of insurance coverage. In contrast, people from privileged communities may see access to mental health care as a fundamental right. The issue can influence everyday life by affecting individuals ability to function in their daily activities to participate in society. For instance, according to Coombs et al. (2021), a lack of mental health care can lead to poor work performance, harming an individuals daily life and ability to participate in society. This illustrates how the issue of access to mental health and healthcare can have different meanings and impacts for different people based on their experiences and interactions with others.
Conclusion
Analyzing the issue of access to mental health and healthcare from the structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionist perspectives makes it clear that each perspective provides valuable insights into different aspects of the issue. However, the conflict theory perspective provides the most comprehensive explanation by highlighting inequality and power dynamics related to mental health and healthcare access. The structural functionalism perspective focuses on the functions of the issue for society and the social systems that support it. In contrast, the symbolic interactionist perspective focuses on individuals meanings and everyday experiences. All the perspectives, however, fail to address the intersectionality of the issue, where multiple identities such as race, class, and gender intersect and compound to create more barriers for marginalized communities. In conclusion, the issue of access to mental health and healthcare is a complex and multifaceted problem that requires a multi-disciplinary approach to understand and address fully.
References
Coombs, N. C., Meriwether, W. E., Caringi, J., & Newcomer, S. R. (2021). Barriers to healthcare access among U.S. adults with mental health challenges: A population-based study. SSM Population Health, 15, 100847. Web.
Social Solutions. (2022). 5 barriers to mental health treatment and access to care. Web.
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