Low-income Families and The Accessibility of Primary Healthcare: A scoping review of barriers and facilitators to access to primary healthcare among low-income families in the United States of America

Abstract

Access to primary healthcare coverage is essential for improving the health of a population, in addition to reducing health inequalities. The study methodology enabled the identification of facilitators (and barriers) to accessing primary healthcare among low income Americans and their families. This study identified four important themes which can be considered as areas for action to improve Primary Healthcare accessibility. Attempts to ensure universal health coverage among a given population should focus first on improving access among low-income individuals and their families. As a blanket initiative is driven and aimed at the whole population this may have the perverse effect of increasing health and social inequalities as this blanket approach only leads to increased uptake among more affluent groups.