Response to Increasing Healthcare Costs in a Northern Indiana Amish Population

This thesis addresses concerns of access to healthcare within the Amish population. The Amish of Northern Indiana are presented with many challenges in regard to medical care: specifically, the high rates of learning and physical disabilities, apprehension to receiving preventative care, and lack of personalized and privatized insurance. A survey was distributed throughout the Old Order Amish community of Northern Indiana and a comparative survey was distributed to the general United States population through the Amazon Mechanical TURK. The two survey sets were compared, and it was determined that the Amish reported easier access to healthcare, increased efficacy of care, as well as greater satisfaction medical services. However, greater learning/physical disabilities and a decreased frequency in physician visits were reported by the Amish respondents.