Healthcare Access among Older Rural Women Veterans in Utah*

Abstract

Using gender and life course frameworks attuned to overlapping roles and statuses, this exploratory case study highlights the experiences of older, rural female veterans in Utah with accessing Veterans Administration and other healthcare. Based on three focus groups with 22 women, findings show that these veterans experienced similar healthcare access obstacles to female veterans in other contexts. Most also experienced invisibility and discrimination in the military, which carried over as they became veterans. However, while these older, rural women veterans voiced new concerns about their own healthcare in later life course stages, they also described extensive experience with coordination of services and advocacy for other veterans, family and rural community members. Thus, these women veterans acted as healthcare advocates in a complex, bureaucratic, strained system. Feeling largely excluded from the male veterans' networks and organizations, they perceived the need to create new networks that could assist veterans in need.

Empowering Rural Women through Skill Development: A Pathway to Sustainable Livelihoods

“…In addition, easier access to markets provides economic stability and accelerates national development. However, problems like distance barriers, money issues and old ideas about gender roles stop women from joining skill-growing efforts easily (Fabiyi & Akande, 2015;Ward et al, 2020). Geographical barriers create increasing inaccessibility for rural women.…”

“…Also, problems like weak public services for education and childcare, bad infrastructure and unfair social rules around gender make it harder for rural women to get power or be strong. (Ward et al, 2020) Old beliefs and rules stop country women from moving freely, making choices by themselves and getting chances (Rahman et al, 2023). Even with these problems, country women starting businesses are still a main force for better social and money growth (Nso, 2022).…”