Care Call

In rural Scandinavian communities, elderly residents face significant barriers to healthcare access. Despite the region's reputation for comprehensive healthcare systems, those without strong social networks are at higher risk of inadequate care. The healthcare infrastructure in these areas has undergone restructuring, with facility closures forcing longer travel times to receive treatment. Transportation challenges coupled with digital literacy barriers create a system where the elderly must rely heavily on informal community support.

Our research aimed to understand: How might we empower communities in rural Scandinavia to better support elderly individuals without family or strong social networks in accessing essential healthcare?

Research Approach

Our research process followed a methodical approach to understand the complex healthcare ecosystem in rural Scandinavia:

• Initial Objective Definition

  We began with a clear focus on exploring key factors influencing healthcare accessibility, including geographical isolation, transportation challenges, limited medical facilities, telemedicine adoption, and healthcare infrastructure adequacy.

• Desk Research

  We conducted comprehensive secondary research by reviewing articles from the WHO, Rural and Remote Health in Sweden, Swedish Government sites, and local news outlets to understand the broader rural healthcare landscape globally, in Scandinavia, and specifically in Sweden.

• Research Methodology Refinement

  After initial desk research, we refined our approach to include:

  • In-depth interviews with participants from rural areas
  • Secondary research analysis
  • Thematic analysis across participant stories

• Final Objective Clarification

  Based on initial findings, we narrowed our focus to community support: "We will evaluate how the elderly population in rural areas needing access to healthcare are supported by their community."

Participant Profiles

We conducted 5 in-depth interviews with participants aged 29 to 93 from rural Scandinavian areas:

Interviews & Data Collection

We conducted online interviews and our questioning focused on understanding:

• Healthcare experiences and needs of rural residents
• Frequency of healthcare service access
• Healthcare management systems and responsible entities
• Barriers to healthcare access
• Technology usage and perception in healthcare management
• Social network contributions to healthcare access
• Key concerns and priorities for rural healthcare improvement

Social Support Networks Are Critical

People in rural areas without strong social networks are at higher risk, as the Scandinavian healthcare system doesn't provide all the support services they rely on when accessing healthcare.

Technology Adoption Requires Human Elements

Elderly people need a balance of technology and human interaction in healthcare, as purely tech-based solutions lack the trust and engagement essential for effective care.

Healthcare Access Limitations Drive Risky Behaviors

Limited healthcare access in rural areas leads people to delay seeking care, increasing health risks and reinforcing reactive rather than preventive healthcare approaches.

Transportation is Inseparable from Healthcare Access

In rural areas, transportation is so tied to healthcare that people often talk about road conditions when sharing their healthcare experiences.

Healthcare System Changes Impact Rural Communities Severely

The closure of local facilities has dramatic consequences for rural residents.

• Initial Broad Approach:

  We started with a wide lens on healthcare accessibility factors.

• Complex System Recognition:

  After initial interviews, we recognized the need to narrow our focus to avoid making our scope too broad. We visualized the healthcare system as concentric circles with:

  

• Focus Refinement:

  We chose to concentrate on the community support aspect after discovering its critical role in healthcare access.

• Methodology Adaptation:

  Based on participant feedback, we identified that in-person interviews would have been more effective than online sessions, and that card sorting exercises could have helped create shared language with interview subjects.