Healthcare Access and Health Status by Primary Source of Health Insurance and Occupation

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Occupational Health
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Health insurance is a key determinant of healthcare access and health status in the U.S.
• Limited research exists on how occupation influences health insurance, healthcare access, and health status.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine variations in primary health insurance source, healthcare access, and health status across different occupations.
• To understand the impact of demographic factors, insurance source, and income on these variations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 2022-2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
• Estimated prevalence of insurance, access, and health status by occupation.
• Calculated adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) to assess occupation-specific disparities.

Main Results:

• Insured workers reported better healthcare access and health status compared to uninsured individuals.
• Occupations with high uninsured rates (e.g., Farming, Food Preparation) showed significant unmet healthcare needs and poorer general health.
• Adjustments for demographics and insurance source reduced, but did not eliminate, disparities in affordability and health status for low-wage occupations.

Conclusions:

• Healthcare access and health status are significantly influenced by occupation and insurance status.
• Low-wage workers may struggle with medical care costs, even with insurance.
• Affordable, comprehensive insurance and adequate wages are crucial for worker health and employability.