Pursuit of Equity: Women on a Low Income Navigating Access to Health and Social Services in Canada.
Lenora Duhn, Michaela Sparringa, Jennifer Waite and 1 others
PMID 38571334WHAT IT FOUND
Five low-income women described health and social services as a maze: providers dismissed pain and needs, while community agencies and pets gave practical help, emotional support, and belonging.
Key findings
01Women compared health and social services to a maze; Margaret said her child with autism still had not received services two and a half years later.
02Participants reported that providers dismissed their concerns and pain, leading to mistrust and possible misdiagnosis.
03Community agencies and pets were described as sources of practical help, emotional support, belonging, and purpose, while pet costs and criticism created tension.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only five women were studied, so the themes cannot represent all low-income women. The study was in Kingston, so service systems may differ in rural or remote areas. Participants relied on retrospective accounts, so details of past provider interactions may be limited. Pandemic restrictions prevented community participants from taking part in data collection and analysis. The paper reports experiences, not measured clinical outcomes or tested effects.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The study was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Insight Development Grants program of Canada, with Dr. Pilar Camargo-Plazas as nominated principal applicant and Dr. Lenora Duhn as co-applicant.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that listening or referral improves access or outcomes. It is a qualitative study of five women in one city, so it describes their experiences and cannot show what works.