Jin Huang1, Julie Birkenmaier, Youngmi Kim. 1. Jin Huang and Julie Birkenmaier are with the College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO. Youngmi Kim is with the School of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: We examined heterogeneous associations between job loss and unmet health care needs by family income level in the recent economic recession. METHODS: We conducted logistic regression analyses with the sample from the 2008 Survey of Income and Program Participation (n = 12,658). Dependent variables were 2 dichotomous measures of unmet health care needs in medical and dental services. The primary independent variables were a dummy indicator of job loss during a 2-year period and the family income-to-needs ratio. We used an interaction term between job loss and the family income-to-needs ratio to test the proposed research question. RESULTS: Job loss was significantly associated with the increased risk of unmet health care needs. The proportion with unmet needs was highest for the lowest-income unemployed, but the association between job loss and health hardship was stronger for the middle- and higher-income unemployed. CONCLUSIONS: The unemployed experience health hardship differently by income level. A comprehensive coordination of applications for unemployment and health insurance should be considered to protect the unemployed from health hardship.
OBJECTIVES: We examined heterogeneous associations between job loss and unmet health care needs by family income level in the recent economic recession. METHODS: We conducted logistic regression analyses with the sample from the 2008 Survey of Income and Program Participation (n = 12,658). Dependent variables were 2 dichotomous measures of unmet health care needs in medical and dental services. The primary independent variables were a dummy indicator of job loss during a 2-year period and the family income-to-needs ratio. We used an interaction term between job loss and the family income-to-needs ratio to test the proposed research question. RESULTS: Job loss was significantly associated with the increased risk of unmet health care needs. The proportion with unmet needs was highest for the lowest-income unemployed, but the association between job loss and health hardship was stronger for the middle- and higher-income unemployed. CONCLUSIONS: The unemployed experience health hardship differently by income level. A comprehensive coordination of applications for unemployment and health insurance should be considered to protect the unemployed from health hardship.
Authors: Yaxin Zhao; Zhongliang Zhou; Xiaojing Fan; Rashed Nawaz; Dantong Zhao; Tiange Xu; Min Su; Dan Cao; Chi Shen; Sha Lai Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2021-01-06 Impact factor: 3.295