Sharing our knowledge and moving forward collectively to improve access to healthcare for Atlantic Canadians

Healthcare services such as primary care, emergency services and specialized services are necessary to help prevent health problems and provide treatment when one is in poor health or injured. However, for some Canadians, including many within Atlantic Canada, accessing and utilizing such services can be challenging. For example, for some rural and remote communities great distances have to be traveled in order to access specialized services in urban centres, and this can be costly both in terms of time and money. Sometimes it can also be challenging for individuals who have multiple illnesses to access services because the services they need are in different locations. Wait times for certain types of services are also a problem in some communities, and for some health problems. As well, some health problems (e.g., mental health) are highly stigmatized and many people are reluctant to access such services even when available. This grant will disseminate research findings from studies about these various barriers to accessing and utilizing healthcare services. A workshop will be held to discuss the various barriers experienced by different populations (e.g., rural populations, Indigenous populations, youth) across Atlantic Canada. Participants in the workshop will also discuss interventions that can help to address or eliminate these barriers (such as mobile health units), and strategies for implementing interventions in different communities. The results of the workshop will be distributed widely to researchers, policy-makers, community members and other key stakeholders to ensure that the research and discussion of innovations can be utilized in Atlantic Canada and beyond. It is important that all Canadians have access to, and utilize, healthcare services that they need because such services can improve quality of life, and help to prevent illnesses and diseases. The prevention of health problems also helps to save healthcare costs over time.