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- Title
The Persistent Gap in Health-Care Coverage Between Low- and High-Income Workers in Washington State: BRFSS, 2003-2007.
- Authors
Fan, Z. Joyce; Anderson, Naomi J.; Foley, Michael; Rauser, Eddy; Silverstein, Barbara A.
- Abstract
Objectives. We examined the disparities in health-care coverage between low- and high-income workers in Washington State (WA) to provide support for possible policy decisions for uninsured workers. Methods. We examined data from the WA Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2003-2007 and compared workers aged 18-64 years of low income (annual household income <$35,000) and high income (annual household income ≥$35,000) on proportions and sources of health-care coverage. We conducted multivariable logistic regression analyses on factors that were associated with the uninsured. Results. Of the 54,536 survey respondents who were working-age adults in WA, 13,922 (25.5%) were low-income workers. The proportions of uninsured were 38.2% for low-income workers and 6.3% for high-income workers. While employment-based health benefits remained a dominant source of health insurance coverage, they covered only 40.2% of low-income workers relative to 81.5% of high-income workers. Besides income, workers were more likely to be uninsured if they were younger; male; Hispanic; less educated; not married; current smokers; self-employed; or employed in agriculture/forestry/fisheries, construction, and retail. More low-income workers (28.7%) reported cost as an issue in paying for health services than did their high-income counterparts (6.7%). Conclusion. A persistent gap in health-care coverage exists between low- and high-income workers. The identified characteristics of these workers can be used to implement policies to expand health insurance coverage.
- Subjects
WASHINGTON (State); AGE distribution; BLUE collar workers; CLUSTER analysis (Statistics); CONFIDENCE intervals; EPIDEMIOLOGY; GOODNESS-of-fit tests; HEALTH services accessibility; HEALTH insurance; MINORITIES; MULTIVARIATE analysis; RACE; RESEARCH funding; STATISTICAL sampling; WHITE collar workers; LOGISTIC regression analysis; DATA analysis; SELF-employment; EDUCATIONAL attainment; DATA analysis software
- Publication
Public Health Reports, 2011, Vol 126, Issue 5, p690
- ISSN
0033-3549
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1177/003335491112600511