information literacy
Olivia james 
mitch.docx·
· Introduction
The topic I chose for my research was on the availability and affordability of insulin.
For my research, I used a mind map, database catalog in the library to find some reliable sources I can use. In this case, I was unable to find. I, therefore, opted to search for insulin and another topic which was closer to the socio-economic issue on insulin. I also used google scholar and searched the term the availability and affordability of insulin. I was able to find a wide range of information. At one point, I filtered my search for peer-reviewed articles but also got sufficient information over the same. I, therefore, selected a few articles both peer-reviewed results and non-peer-reviewed results.
Below are the three articles I have chosen.
This article describes the need for insulin but due to high price poor availability has contributed to poor access. Different countries have access to insulin but developing countries are struggling with the accessibility of the insulin to its patient. According to, improving insulin availability and affordability need to be addressed through global and national actions. Which include; prioritizing the supply of more affordable human insulin and also negotiating lower price especially from the manufacture and distribution systems.
Liu, C., Zhang, X., Liu, C., Ewen, M., Zhang, Z., & Liu, G. (2017). Insulin prices, availability, and affordability: a cross-sectional survey of pharmacies in Hubei Province, China. BMC Health Services Research, 17(1). DOI: 10.1186/s12913-017-2553-0.
According to Liu et al., (2017) poor access to affordable insulin is a major concern to a patient suffering from diabetes. Therefore, the only way is to address the availability, price, and affordability. The need for insulin in public hospital stands to 70% and median price were higher during that time. Therefore, the patient has to pay a high wage to purchase the drug. The solution for this is, therefore, needed for the government to reduce price, abolish taxes and also develop strategies for more equitable access to insulin.
The article I am reviewing is the article from 2019 by Margaret Ewen, Huibert-Jan Joose, David Beran and Richard Laing. The information is on this year; therefore, it is still relevant and updated since the publication was done few months ago. The article's topic is right up my alley for my research as it is extremely relate-able. I looked at this source fairly early in my search, and it just seemed so perfect. It is a peer-reviewed source with high stands of academic level since it cuts across many countries which are having problem with the availability and accessibility of insulin. It was published in a journal specifically for the BMJ Global Health journal specifically in health science fields. Margaret Ewen works in Health Action International, Amsterdam-Netherlands together with other authors.
The article lists many resources at the end to support their evidence and the article itself has a factual tone. The purpose of the article is to raise a red flag for the need for insulin in low-income countries. Many patients with diabetes, in particular, are suffering due to a lack of insulin availability. Therefore, the world should come up with strategies in response to ensure patients from low-income countries are able to access and also afford insulin. In conclusion, I learned a lot when doing my research, and I am very glad to have found the resources I did.
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