Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Health Services

Advisor

Cheryl Anderson

Abstract

Access to healthcare services and healthcare insurance has been considered problematic for many populations in the United States. Despite many efforts to solve these issues, there is a significant gap in research related to the perceptions of the population experiencing homelessness associated with the social barriers they face with access to health insurance and health care. The behavioral-ecological framework best suited this study. In this qualitative descriptive study the perceptions of a sample of 10 individuals experiencing homelessness, who accepted to sit for 60-minute interviews, were investigated. Purposeful sampling was used to identify these individuals, whose age 18-60 years old, who met the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s definition of homeless and tried to access health care insurance within the last 12 months. Data were collected using semistructured interviews in a face-to-face setting. Using Braun and Clarke’s six steps for thematic analysis, the transcripts from the interviews were coded and analyzed, extracting six themes that assisted in answering the posed research questions. These findings included that the population experiencing homelessness (a) having an inability to prioritize their health-related decisions, (b)facing an inability to interact successfully with healthcare providers, (c) having difficulties in health care follow-up and scheduling of appointments, (d)are unable to acquire accessible assistance and resources, (e) carrying negative attitudes and behaviors about their health, and (f) resources fail to assist by reaching out to them. The potential impact for positive social change involved increasing the availability of healthcare information and resources through public organizations for easy access.

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