Accessing Women's Healthcare in Rural Vermont and the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Conference Year
2024
Abstract
Deferrals of non-emergent healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic greatly reduced accessibility to an already shrinking field of women’s healthcare in rural Vermont. This study aims to assess various barriers individuals currently face in accessing women’s healthcare services in rural areas of Vermont and how they are navigating a post-pandemic healthcare system. My research consisted of anonymous surveys for patients as well as interviews among healthcare providers asking about their experiences in utilizing and providing these services. Findings showed that there are considerable pre-existing barriers to accessing women’s healthcare in rural areas that were greatly exacerbated by the pandemic.
Primary Faculty Mentor Name
Teresa Mares
Status
Undergraduate
Student College
College of Arts and Sciences
Second Student College
Patrick Leahy Honors College
Program/Major
Anthropology
Primary Research Category
Social Science
Accessing Women's Healthcare in Rural Vermont and the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Deferrals of non-emergent healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic greatly reduced accessibility to an already shrinking field of women’s healthcare in rural Vermont. This study aims to assess various barriers individuals currently face in accessing women’s healthcare services in rural areas of Vermont and how they are navigating a post-pandemic healthcare system. My research consisted of anonymous surveys for patients as well as interviews among healthcare providers asking about their experiences in utilizing and providing these services. Findings showed that there are considerable pre-existing barriers to accessing women’s healthcare in rural areas that were greatly exacerbated by the pandemic.