Graduation Year

2015

Graduation Month

May

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science – Health and Human Performance

School or Department

Health and Human Performance

Major

Health and Human Performance – Community Health

Faculty Mentor Department

Political Science

Faculty Mentor

Peter Koehn

Keywords

healthcare, health literacy, transportation, low-income, south africa, montana

Subject Categories

Community Health

Abstract

Abstract

Schmoker, Rachael, BS, May 2015 Community Health

Ancillary Challenges Within The Health System

Faculty Mentor: Peter Koehn, Political Science.

This paper outlines the research conducted and the project implementation for the Davidson Honors College Senior Thesis in a joint project with the Global Leadership Initiative Senior Capstone. This project describes the ancillary challenges of healthcare in Missoula, Montana and Khayelitsha, South Africa. Under the Montana branch of this project it is called the UM Volunteers for Global Health Access (UMVGHA). Within Missoula we are associated with Partnership Health Center; a health clinic that caters to the low-income population of Missoula. Through our Khayelitsha branch, we are associated with Treatment Action Campaign and Medicines Sans Frontiers, local health oriented organizations. Throughout the academic year of 2014-2015, research was conducted regarding ease of access to health literacy and transportation within Missoula, this research is the basis of the project UMVGHA. Additionally, conversations and support from Treatment Action Campaign has provided a background of health challenges in the townships of Cape Town. Low-income people often suffer the brunt of health challenges, most specific to access and resources.

There are many local organizations that attempt to affect change in this area, however most organizations are unable to appeal to all low-income people simply due to the scope of challenges. UMVGHA is a project developed by university students in order to alleviate strains on the health system and provide greater access for low-income people. These university students, along with myself, brought specific skills to the drawing table regarding this Global Leadership Initiative program. Each of us were tasked with a specific portion of the project, the area of my focus was health literacy and the application in South Africa which I will outline further in this paper.

Honors College Research Project

Yes

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© Copyright 2015 Rachael Schmoker