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Throughout my adolescence, my family maintained health insurance coverage. Osteosarcoma nearly claimed my life when I was 16 years old; health insurance came close to rescuing the situation. It is highly unlikely that I would be alive at this moment in the absence of the health insurance provided by my parents. The costs linked to chemotherapy and leg surgery surpassed my most irrational expectations. Upon reflecting back. Presently employed in a cancer facility, I am unable to recollect which resources were unavailable in 2002 but are now readily accessible.

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When I would go to the doctor, It would always be the same hospital my mother worked at. She's not a doctor but on her insurance she had employee benefits that include healthcare through Children's hospital. So, every time I went to the doctor, They would Bill my mom's insurance the ticket.

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I don't recall thinking about trust in healthcare myself. However, I know my mom would switch our doctors including hers if she felt like the level of care was not up to par. She was very aware of the experience and level of care we all received. She would very often look for the best credited doctor that took our insurance.

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I don't recall a family doctor. I recall whatever doctor took the government health plan at the time. The local City hospital was a public hospital and very close to my home. We spoke the same language.

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I will say because my mother had a heart condition, she was very health conscious. We actually ate a very healthy diet at home. However, I will say because I did not have access to sweets and fast food very often, I would eat at neighbors' homes. The soul food meals and pizza nights where my favorite. Most of the kids in my neighborhood where African American and ate soulful meals and lots of Summer BBQ and fast food. I did have one Best Friend who was Caucasian, and I can recall the meals being very balanced with veggies, a protein and not a lot of fast food.

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I recall going to the health department and when we had government coverage plans as long as the service was covered, She did not have a copay. If it was not covered, she would look for ways to get assistance thru different programs.

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As a child we sometimes did not have health coverage depending on the status of my mothers job. My mother had a Heart condition and this prevented her from working for very long. It seems when I was about ten years old we where covered by state insurance until I was 18.

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I do have a family doctor. I see him every 6 months to make sure I am as healthy as possible for me kids and husband. I am blessed especially with my insurance we can see them as often as needed. It is pretty easy if need be to go to the hospital if we ever need to. My kids especially I would never not take them especially if they needed it. My doctor speaks the same language as us so we do not need an interpreter.

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Growing up I was around for the most part healthy behaviors. I grew up on a farm so I know right from wrong, but at the same time there was some unhealthy behaviors. I can remember my dad at times getting mad and saying things he didn't mean

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Studies like the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment and the Guatemalan Syphilis and Gonorrhea Study are just a few examples of how the medical and science industries care more about profit than quality of life. Over the years I have seen and experienced medical malpractice, misdiagnoses, and gaslighting that has tremendously diminished my trust in doctors. I can definitely see why some folks do not seek medical attention and why they have little to no trust in the healthcare system.

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I do not remember my family doctor so I do not think I had an opinion but I can say now, I do not trust most doctors or most parts of the healthcare system.

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We did not have a family doctor from what I can recall. I do not remember going to the doctor until I was maybe 15 years old. I had to see a specialist for migraine headaches. I do not remember much from that visit other than he suggested I drink coffee in the morning as a preventative measure.

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One of the most memorable healthy habits we had as a family is we walked every chance we got, mainly because we had to since we did not have a car. But my mom would walk a few miles to a fruit and vegetable stand to get us a ton of fruits and veggies for the month. One of the unhealthy behaviors was that there were times we did not have food in the house and had to rely on school meals. A few of my friends did not have to worry about meals.

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I believe since we had Medicare/Medicaid, my mom did not have to pay for doctor visits.

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Looking back growing up, I believe that we had government assistance healthcare due to my mom being a single mom of five kids.

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I love my family doctor. He is a doctor who actually listens to me and what I have going on. He is not there to just make money, I feel he is there to really give me the tools for me to be successful in my life. As far as trusting the other elements of the health care system that is a challenge sometimes. I feel that they always may push my appointment back because they don't feel it is as urgent as I do, I feel that sometime I have to jump through hoops to get to see my doctor. But, at the sometimes, I know people they have guidelines to follow in the health care system.

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AMY MASTON

Growing up, my family did have health care coverage. I remember my parents always working jobs where health insurance was available. They chose their jobs based on health care coverage. It was not because my sister and I were sick, but they did not want to risk it. After switching jobs for a few years, both of my parents were blessed with jobs working for the county school system. It was then that the health insurance was considered good. Even though we always had health care coverage, I do not remember going to the doctor very often. Our lifestyle was completely different back then, as was the food we ate which contributed to us not being sick. When we did get sick, we treated a lot of sickness at home through natural remedies and if we got too sick, we would go to the pharmacy where the pharmacist would give my mother medicine for us. He was not a doctor, but he did this for a lot of families in our small town. He understood that even with health insurance, going to the doctor costs a lot of money. I cannot imagine that happening today. As I stated earlier, we did not go to the medical doctor very often, but we did always go for regular dental and eye exams. I know that we were in the minority by having health insurance. I am thankful for the sacrifices my parents made to ensure that we always had health insurance.

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My family would pay for doctor's visits my either insurance or out of pocket.

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When I was growing up, My dad was a farmer and my mom worked at a bank to get us the health coverage we needed for our family. Having my dad be a farmer there was no health coverage that we could get that would not cost us a lot of money, so that is why my mom always worked out of the home is for this reason.

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Due to the cost of health insurance in the eighties, our family of six did not have any health or prescription coverage. Health insurance costs during the 1980s varied significantly based on factors such as location, coverage type, and individual circumstances. Prescription drug coverage was limited, and people often paid for medications directly. My parents accepted the risk of being uninsured. They weighed the cost of premiums against the likelihood of needing medical care. Home remedies were a go to. Families relied on age old wisdom, herbal concoctions, and natural treatments. Self-care was paramount. My parents and our relatives learned to manage minor ailments at home, from treating fevers to setting broken bones. Negotiation played a crucial role. My parents haggled over medical bills, seeking discounts or extended payment plans. We visited free clinics staffed by volunteer doctors and nurses who offered basic medical services to those without insurance.

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Danielle tenney"Rx for Reality: Tales of Family Health, Socioeconomic Shenanigans, and Cultural Quirks"

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Danielle tenney"Rx for Reality: Tales of Family Health, Socioeconomic Shenanigans, and Cultural Quirks"

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Growing up in a lower to middle working-class family, I was surrounded by a mix of healthy and unhealthy behaviors. On the healthy side, my family had access to decent healthcare, which meant regular check-ups, necessary medical treatments like braces, and a general awareness of health issues. However, despite this access, there were unhealthy behaviors present, particularly in the form of alcoholism. Both of my parents struggled with alcohol addiction, which undoubtedly had negative effects on their overall health and well-being.

In terms of specific health concerns, my father's diabetes and my mother's high cholesterol were significant factors in our family dynamic. While they may have been aware of these conditions, it often seemed like they prioritized my needs over their own health. This could be seen as a common trait among working-class families, where limited resources and time are often stretched thin, leading to neglect of personal health.

Later in my teens, my dad went to rehab for opioid addiction, and his insurance covered the treatment. When I became a young adult, I went to rehab as well, also covered by my dad's insurance.

As for cultural influences, being Irish-American also played a role. Alcoholism has unfortunately been a stereotype associated with Irish culture, and it was evident in my family's struggle with alcohol addiction. However, it's important to note that not all Irish families exhibit this behavior, and it would be unfair to generalize based on ethnicity alone.

In terms of friends from different ethnic backgrounds, I did notice some variations in health behaviors. For example, friends from Hispanic backgrounds often had a strong emphasis on family meals with healthier, home-cooked foods, which could promote better dietary habits. On the other hand, friends from other backgrounds might have had different cultural norms around exercise or healthcare access. Overall, while there were certainly differences, I believe socioeconomic status and individual family dynamics played a more significant role in shaping health behaviors than ethnicity alone.

-Danielle Tenney