For women who live on the margins, health care is often out of reach. Here’s how we can build a bridge to access
Publish Date: 2026-02-10 13:44:00
Source Domain: theconversation.com
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Difficult Access to Family Doctors: Many Canadians, especially women who live on the margins, struggle to find a family doctor due to various barriers such as long waits, uneven geographical access, and rigid scheduling systems.
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Health Disparities Among Marginalized Women: Women experiencing poverty, racism, trauma, or unstable housing often prioritize non-health needs over their own, leading to late diagnoses of serious conditions like cardiovascular disease or cancer.
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Global Health Solution Proposal: To address these issues, the proposal suggests adapting the Community Health Worker (CHW) model from the Global South, which involves local community members trained to provide basic health screenings and act as a bridge to primary care.
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Benefits of the CHW Model: Community health workers can provide essential preventive care, screening for conditions like high blood pressure and mental health issues, fostering trust and continuity of care for those who rarely access healthcare services otherwise.
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Potential for First-Mile Connection: The CHW model aims to create a “first mile” of connection to the health system by meeting marginalized women in their own communities, thus enhancing accessibility, continuity, and faith in the healthcare system.
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Importance of Innovation Over Money: While funding is important for healthcare system improvements in Canada, the authors argue that proven, global health strategies like the CHW model are crucial, potentially providing more inclusive and person-centered care.
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Implementation Challenges and Opportunities: Successful implementation of the CHW model requires not just financial investment but also cultural adaptation and community integration. If successful, it could provide a stronger, more inclusive approach to primary care.
