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Nursing, Pages: 2, Research paper

Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix and Narrative Statement

Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix and Narrative Statement

Access to mental health services remains one of the major current global health concerns. Demand is increasing, yet millions of people worldwide encounter barriers to receiving the care they need, from stigma and cost to a lack of resources. In this regard, this paper discusses and evaluates the strengths, weaknesses, and impacts of mental health access policies in the United States and in the United Kingdom. It also describes how social determinants of health affect mental health access and includes a plan for social change: Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix and Narrative Statement.

Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix

Global Healthcare Issue Mental health access
Description Access to mental health services refers to the ability of individuals to obtain timely, affordable, and appropriate care for mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric conditions.

Globally, there is a notable gap in the utilization and availability of these services. In addition, estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) reveal that, globally, about one in eight persons is affected by a mental disorder. Still, a majority of these individuals do not receive adequate care due to stigma, lack of resources, and systemic barriers, among other factors. As a result, mental health is an issue of priority on the global health agenda and addressing it is central to improving overall population health and achieving sustainable development goals.
Country United States (US) United Kingdom (UK)
Describe the policy in each country related to the identified healthcare issue. Mental health policy in the US has been significantly shaped by the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). These policies mandate that mental health benefits are provided on par with physical health benefits in insurance coverage. The ACA expanded Medicaid and increased funding for mental health services. However, these policies are fragmented and implemented at the state level, leading to variability in access and quality. The National Health Service (NHS) provides universal healthcare, including mental health services. Mental health care is free at the point of use and funded through taxation. The UK government has also established national mental health strategies, such as “No Health Without Mental Health,” which emphasizes early intervention, stigma reduction, and integration of services into primary care.
What are the strengths of this policy? The ACA increased the number of insured individuals and mandated mental health parity, improving access for many. It incentivized the integration of mental health care into primary care settings and supported innovation through funding for community programs (Ercia, 2021). The universal nature of the NHS ensures that everyone, regardless of income or employment status, has access to mental health services. Policies such as the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) program provide evidence-based therapies to millions of people annually.
What are the weaknesses of this policy? Despite improvements, high out-of-pocket costs and disparities in access persist. Rural and underserved communities often lack mental health providers. Fragmentation across states creates inconsistencies in care quality. While services are free, long waiting lists and workforce shortages limit timely access to care. Funding constraints have also resulted in regional disparities in service availability.
Explain how the social determinants of health may impact the specified global health issue. (Be specific and provide examples)

 

 Social determinants like income inequality significantly limit access to mental health services. Low-income individuals often lack insurance or face high out-of-pocket costs. Geographic disparities, especially in rural areas, exacerbate this issue. For example, rural communities frequently lack mental health providers, forcing residents to travel long distances for care and delaying treatment. In the UK, poverty and ethnic minority status influence access and outcomes. Those in low-income communities face higher mental health risks but may avoid seeking care due to stigma or mistrust of the healthcare system (Bansal et al., 2022). For example, Black and ethnic minority populations report lower utilization of NHS mental health services despite greater need.
How has each country’s government addressed cost, quality, and access to the selected global health issue? Government efforts have focused on expanding insurance coverage through Medicaid and the ACA. Funding for mental health programs has increased, but gaps remain in affordability and geographic access.

 

 The government provides free mental health services through the NHS, with a focus on preventive care and community-based services. However, the system struggles to balance quality and access due to limited funding and increasing demand.
How has the identified health policy impacted the health of the global population? (Be specific and provide examples) The mental health policies of the ACA have provided a good example of integrating mental health care into general health globally. In this process, the US has contributed to providing proof of concept in mental and physical health parity. Other countries like Australia have consequently embraced parity policies, among others, in the bid to de-stigmatize people worldwide. The NHS’s universal mental health care policy serves as an international template for equity of access. Programs like IAPT have demonstrated that large-scale, evidence-based interventions are achievable. Globally, these policies inspired international health programs like the WHO Mental Health Action Plan, emphasizing universal coverage and integration in mental health care (Turan et al., 2023).
Describe the potential impact of the identified health policy on the role of nurses in each country. The ACA’s emphasis on mental health integration expanded nurses’ roles in behavioral health. Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) now fill critical gaps in underserved areas, providing diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, nurses advocate for mental health parity and deliver primary care integrated with mental health services, addressing stigma and care barriers. NHS mental health policies have given nurses the scope to take up leadership roles in community-based mental health care. Nurses provide therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy under programs like IAPT. They also manage complex caseloads, reduce hospital admissions, and advocate for systemic improvements, enhancing the overall quality of mental health care.
Explain how global health issues impact local healthcare organizations and policies in both countries. (Be specific and provide examples) Global mental health challenges, such as the increasing suicide rates and the mental health burden during pandemics, have prompted local healthcare organizations to expand behavioral health services. For instance, many hospitals integrated telehealth platforms during COVID-19, enabling access to therapy and psychiatric care and addressing global issues at the community level (Zangani et al., 2022). Global mental health trends, like the rise of anxiety disorders, have influenced NHS policies to prioritize mental health funding. For example, the UK introduced the “Five Year Forward View for Mental Health,” targeting local service gaps while aligning with global WHO recommendations for comprehensive mental health care delivery.
General Notes/Comments The ACA has increased access to mental health services, but provider shortages and rural disparities have continued to plague the system. Nurses play a significant role in filling the gaps through advocacy of policy change, delivery of integrated behavioral health services, and education while promoting community-based mental health care for underserved populations. The NHS’s universal mental health care model ensures access to services for all, but long waiting times and workforce shortages pose challenges. Nurses are essential in implementing community-based care, delivering evidence-based therapies like CBT, managing patient caseloads, and advocating for increased funding and workforce support to meet growing demands.

 

A Plan for Social Change

Advocating for a Global Perspective in Local Practice

Facilitating the implementation of global thinking into local practice is by applying the learning and insight obtained through global health policies and programs for addressing mental health. Nurses can adapt the learning from the UK’s IAPT program, which has been successful in delivering community-based, evidence-based therapy. Implementation of this model in the US will ensure equal access to mental health services, especially for low-income and rural underserved populations.

Nurse leaders can collaborate with policymakers in advocating for more funding for mental healthcare, expand telehealth initiatives to reach outlying populations, and enable interdisciplinary coordination to provide integrated care. Nurses can serve as educators, enhancing awareness of the necessity of integrating mental healthcare into primary care systems.

Impact of a Global Perspective

The integration of the global vision enables nurses to advance equity, cultural competence, and quality of care at the local level. For instance, global policy trends on early intervention and community participation, as experienced in the UK, can support US healthcare organizations at the local level in addressing some of the most important social determinants of health, such as stigma, cost barriers, and access (Alderwick et al., 2021). Global perspective also encourages the embracement of technology-driven solutions, such as teletherapy and online mental health services, that can enhance accessibility and benefits.

Social Change Contribution

Global integration fosters system improvements that spur equity and reduce disparities in mental healthcare. Nurses are leaders in advocating for policies that incorporate mental health into primary care, expand workforce development, and address the broader social determinants of health. By advocating for these reforms, nurse leaders foster a healthier society and spark a trend toward preventive, inclusive, and integrated mental healthcare.

For example, telehealth platforms for mental health services functioned broadly across the world during COVID-19 to serve patients in regions lacking mental health providers. By working with policymakers to reform health-related policy so as to modify the roots of health inequalities, nurse leaders establish equitable and accessible care for everyone. Through the promotion of preventive care policies and education on stigma, nurse leaders drive social transformations in mental health care delivery.

Conclusion

Breaking through traditional local boundaries to bring an international understanding will help nurses solve health disparity issues and deliver better patient services. Through successful international strategies and systemic reforms, as well as the advocacy for equitable healthcare access, nurse leaders create transformative social change. The systematic method results in both healthy communities and universal access to equal health benefits.

References

Alderwick, H., Hutchings, A., Briggs, A., & Mays, N. (2021). The impacts of collaboration between local health care and non-health care organizations and factors shaping how they work: A systematic review of reviews. BMC Public Health, 21(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10630-1

Bansal, N., Karlsen, S., Sashidharan, S. P., Cohen, R., Chew-Graham, C. A., & Malpass, A. (2022). Understanding ethnic inequalities in mental healthcare in the UK: A meta-ethnography. PLOS Medicine, 19(12). https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1004139

Ercia, A. (2021). The impact of the Affordable Care Act on patient coverage and access to care: Perspectives from FQHC administrators in Arizona, California, and Texas. BioMed Central (BMC) Health Services Research, 21(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06961-9

Turan, J. M., Vinikoor, M. J., Su, A. Y., Rangel-Gomez, M., Sweetland, A., Verhey, R., Chibanda, D., Paulino-Ramírez, R., Best, C., Masquillier, C., van Olmen, J., Gaist, P., & Kohrt, B. A. (2023). Global health reciprocal innovation to address mental health and well-being: Strategies used and lessons learned. BMJ Global Health, 8(Suppl 7), e013572. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2023-013572

Zangani, C., Ostinelli, E. G., Smith, K. A., Hong, J. S. W., Macdonald, O., Reen, G., Reid, K., Vincent, C., Syed Sheriff, R., Harrison, P. J., Hawton, K., Pitman, A., Bale, R., Fazel, S., Geddes, J. R., & Cipriani, A. (2022). Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Global Delivery of Mental Health Services and Telemental Health: Systematic review (preprint). JMIR Mental Health, 9(8). https://doi.org/10.2196/38600

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Question

Note: This Assignment (both Parts 1 & 2) is due on Day 5 of Week 11.

If you talk about a possible poor health outcome, do you believe that outcome will occur? Do you believe eye contact and personal contact should be avoided?

You would have a difficult time practicing as a nurse if you believed these to be true. But they are very real beliefs in some cultures.

Differences in cultural beliefs, subcultures, religion, ethnic customs, dietary customs, language, and a host of other factors contribute to the complex environment that surrounds global healthcare issues. Failure to understand and account for these differences can create a gulf between practitioners and the public they serve.

In this Assignment, you will examine a global health issue and consider the approach to this issue by the United States and by one other country.

Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.

WEEKLY RESOURCES

To Prepare:

  • Review the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global health agenda and select one global health issue to focus on for this Assignment.
  • Select at least one additional country to compare to the U.S. for this Assignment.
  • Reflect on how the global health issue you selected is approached in the U.S. and in the additional country you selected.
  • Review and download the Global Health Comparison Matrix provided in the Resources.

    Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix and Narrative Statement

    Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix and Narrative Statement

The Assignment: (1- to 2-page Global Health Comparison Matrix; 1-page Plan for Social Change)

Part 1: Global Health Comparison Matrix

Focusing on the country you selected and the U.S., complete the Global Health Comparison Matrix. Be sure to address the following:

  • Consider the U.S. national/federal health policies that have been adapted for the global health issue you selected from the WHO global health agenda. Compare these policies to the additional country you selected for study.
  • Explain the strengths and weaknesses of each policy.
  • Explain how the social determinants of health may impact the global health issue you selected. Be specific and provide examples.
  • Using the WHO’s Organization’s global health agenda as well as the results of your own research, analyze how each country’s government addresses cost, quality, and access to the global health issue selected.
  • Explain how the health policy you selected might impact the health of the global population. Be specific and provide examples.
  • Explain how the health policy you selected might impact the role of the nurse in each country.
  • Explain how global health issues impact local healthcare organizations and policies in both countries. Be specific and provide examples.

Part 2: A Plan for Social Change

Reflect on the global health policy comparison and analysis you conducted in Part 1 of the Assignment and the impact that global health issues may have on the world, the U.S., your community, as well as your practice as a nurse leader.

In a 1-page response, create a plan for social change that incorporates a global perspective or lens into your local practice and role as a nurse leader.

  • Explain how you would advocate for the incorporation of a global perspective or lens into your local practice and role as a nurse leader.
  • Explain how the incorporation of a global perspective or lens might impact your local practice and role as a nurse leader.
  • Explain how the incorporation of a global perspective or lens into your local practice as a nurse leader represents and contributes to social change. Be specific and provide examples.

Assignment document should include:

  1. Title page
  2. Introductory paragraph
  3. Global health comparison matrix
  4. Plan for social change
  5. Conclusion
  6. References

By Day 5 of Week 11

Submit both Part 1 and Part 2 of your Assignment.

Submission Information

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  1. To submit your completed assignment, save your Assignment as WK11Assgn+LastName+Firstinitial
  2. Then, click on Start Assignment near the top of the page.
  3. Next, click on Upload File and select Submit Assignment for review.

Resources: