Perceived Barriers to Preventive Screenings by Individuals 18 Years and Older with Health Insurance

Preventive services are imperative to reducing morbidity and mortality rates by identifying and treating disease processes early. Previous research frequently focused on health insurance as a barrier. Minimal research has been conducted since the onset of the Affordable Care Act to identify current barriers. This study was a non-experimental cross sectional design survey that sought to identify primary barriers to receipt of eight preventive services in adults ages 18 and older with health insurance. Participants were also surveyed regarding the likelihood of receiving preventive services if the stated barrier was removed. Health promotion is a collaborative effort between patient and the health care providers. A systems model of clinical preventive care by Judith Walsh, MD, MPH and Stephen McPhee, MD focuses on the interaction between the patient, providers, and takes into consideration the healthcare delivery system. This study focused on the patient's perspective of this theory covering three identified factors that either promote or inhibit preventive services.