The Relationship Between Poverty & Healthcare

By Robin Keating

As we take a look at the relationship between poverty and healthcare it becomes apparent that the relationship is complex. The affordability of proper healthcare is only one facet. OHP (Oregon Health Plan) healthcare is typically free depending on income and size of household, and while this can be a great benefit for some, it still presents its challenges.

It is not uncommon for those that are beginning to earn higher wages to lose their coverage due to earning too much money to receive free healthcare. The new challenge becomes affording to pay for your own or finding employment that provides healthcare. This gap can bring great stress in one’s life as they pursue better financial status, especially if there is a serious preexisting health condition.

Even when someone has free healthcare, there remains the challenge of figuring out how to get to appointments. Oftentimes there is a lack of supportive relationships during an illness and living alone can make it very difficult to receive proper care.

Our neighbors may also face being treated differently in the healthcare system according to the type of insurance they carry or sometimes simply by how they present themselves. They may not confidently advocate for themselves or settle for poor quality of care because of feelings of low self-worth.

Not having proper shelter, the ability to afford the necessary items for after care, and the possible risk of losing employment are very real deterrents to receiving proper care as well.

Poor diet can also contribute to the challenges of overall healthcare. Many foods consumed are fast foods or snack foods that are nutritionally deficient. These types of foods are generally more affordable or purchased through food stamp assistance. It is not uncommon that the healthy foods we need are often far beyond the reach of many individuals’ budgets, meaning they are stuck with very limited choices to stay healthy. With this type of diet, more people are prone to health issues such as diabetes, heart disease and cognitive impairment.

Whether the relationship between poverty and healthcare is stigma, diet, or affordability of care, the solution to better healthcare is found in supportive relationships. When neighbors are exposed to affordable healthy eating practices through relationships with others, they begin to see the choices they have in food that they may not have considered before. Those that are in community with people that understand they are made in the image of God, will become better at self advocacy as well self care.