Examining Preventive Care Barriers in a Clinical Setting

The national as well as prior local studies have shown that the majority of people do not participate in the recommended preventive screening practices. The purpose of this study was to examine health practitioners' beliefs, satisfaction, perceived barriers, and challenges from a big Northeastern health care system regarding preventive screening practices among their patients. A 32-item survey was administered online to the physicians and nurses who were employed in this network. A total of 40 health practitioners completed the survey. The results indicated that the majority of practitioners agreed with the screening guidelines that had been established by the clinic and reported complying with them closely. Limited insurance coverage and cost of the screening test, lack of time to discuss prevention with patients, and communication difficulties were seen as the top three barriers to preventative care. Additionally, the main challenge to preventive screening was lack of awareness among patients about the value of screening and prevention. A set of recommendations were offered so that the clinic can address their concerns and hopefully improve the participation of patients in the preventive screening in the future.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the program, participants will be able to:

1) Learn how to get access to health practitioners at the clinical setting and gather information about their practices;

2) Understand the challenges and perceptions of health practitioners regarding their clients' participation in preventive care;

3) Increase knowledge about best ways to reach clients in the clinical setting and pursue preventive care practices; and

4) Discuss the importance of communication with patients and significance of

patient education in the clinical setting.