Table 3 Barriers to engaging in follow-up care.
Post-discharge changes in functional status | |
Physical health | “I can't move. They told me I would get physical therapy and they never came. Ever since I was in the hospital, I have been unable to get out of bed. If I try, my legs shake.” (non-Hispanic Black woman) “I can’t walk. It’s hard to get to the doctor and get my medication.” (Hispanic man)* |
Mental health | “[I don't seek healthcare because] I am scared they will detect something. I became traumatized after my hospitalization, and it's been difficult for me to forget.” (Hispanic man)* “[I have become] scared. I had nightmares about needles and being constantly poked.” (Hispanic man)* |
Discrimination or poor treatment during care | |
Interpersonal experiences | “I needed to pee, and the aide took off her gloves. I was left sitting in pee until the following day.” (Hispanic man)* “Two nurses did not want to clean me” (Hispanic woman)* “I fell out of bed in the post-discharge nursing home and nurses refused to help me.” (non-Hispanic White woman) |
Healthcare system barriers | “I could have used more rehab, but insurance only pays for one month.” (Hispanic woman) “Doctors can’t always speak Spanish and interpreters are often not there when you want to communicate.” (Hispanic woman)* “Doctors' treatment is better towards White patients. I felt discriminated against when I went to the pharmacy. The pharmacist refused because she assumed I was a drug user.” (Hispanic man) “I felt like a Guinea pig. I felt like I was being used for monetary purposes.” (non-Hispanic Black woman) |
Structural barriers | “My biggest concern is having to pay a $45 co-pay for each PT session.” (non-Hispanic Black woman) “It took a while for [the hospital] to answer my calls and get back to me, so I had to pay out of pocket to see a specialist.” (Hispanic man) “Money is no longer the same as it used to be. We owe 4–5 month’s rent.” (Hispanic man)* “We can’t work and are having economic difficulties but are still making ends meet. They stopped giving me discount coupons and I tried to reapply, but they denied my request because I don’t have someone to fill it out for me.” (Hispanic man)* |
Sources of resilience | |
“I thought my only way out was to stop existing. That's when the doctor squeezed my hand, and another thought crossed my mind: ‘I gave my family everything they needed but I never told them I loved them’. I heard the words ‘You are a survivor.’ I was ecstatic.” (Hispanic man)* “Since I got through that I feel I am a leader. Who would have thought I would survive given how sick I was?” (Hispanic man)* “I’m here because of a miracle from God. God used doctors to take care of me and if doctors are telling us to get the vaccine that means the vaccine is good.” (Hispanic male)* | |
