Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Access, Quality and Satisfaction with Care Among Women Living in Rural and Remote Communities in Canada

Abstract

This chapter examines the relationship between health service restructuring and the health care experiences of women from rural and remote areas of Canada. Data were collected from 34 focus groups (237 women), 15 telephone interviews and 346 responses from an online survey. Access to services, care quality and satisfaction are salient themes in these data. Problems include: travel, shortage of providers, turnover in personnel, delays associated in accessing care, lack of knowledge of women's health issues and patronizing attitudes of some health care providers. Health care service restructuring has led to deterioration in service availability and quality. Key areas for policy development need to address health care access and quality improvement issues, including increasing access to more (particularly female) providers who are sensitive to women's health issues.

Citation

Bourgeault, I.L., Sutherns, R., Haworth-Brockman, M., Dallaire, C. and Neis, B. (2006), "Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Access, Quality and Satisfaction with Care Among Women Living in Rural and Remote Communities in Canada", Jacobs Kronenfeld, J. (Ed.) Access, Quality and Satisfaction with Care (Research in the Sociology of Health Care, Vol. 24), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 175-202. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0275-4959(06)24009-2