University of Texas at Austin Steve Hicks School of Social Work Researchers Have Provided New Data on Environmental Research and Public Health (Unmet Healthcare Needs and Healthcare Access Gaps Among Uninsured U.S. Adults Aged 50-64)

2020 MAY 04 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Health Policy and Law Daily -- Current study results on environmental research and public health have been published. According to news reporting out of the University of Texas at Austin Steve Hicks School of Social Work by NewsRx editors, research stated, “Lack of health insurance (HI) is a particular problem for near-older Americans aged 50-64 because they tend to have more chronic health conditions than younger age groups and are at increased risk of disability; however, little recent research has focused on HI coverage and healthcare access among this age group.”

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from University of Texas at Austin Steve Hicks School of Social Work: “Using the U.S. National Health Interview Survey data for the years 2013 to 2018, we compared HI coverage and healthcare access between the 50-64 and 65+ age groups. Using logistic regression analysis, we then examined the sociodemographic and health characteristics of past-year healthcare access of near-older Americans without HI to those with private HI or public HI (Medicare without Medicaid, Medicaid without Medicare, Medicare and Medicaid, and VA/military HI). We estimated the odds of healthcare access among those without HI compared to those with private or public HI. Near-older Americans without HI were at least seven times more likely to have postponed or foregone needed healthcare due to costs, and only 15% to 23% as likely to have had contact with any healthcare professional in the preceding 12 months.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “Expanding HI to near-older adults would increase healthcare access and likely result in reduced morbidity and mortality and higher quality of life for them.”

For more information on this research see: Unmet Healthcare Needs and Healthcare Access Gaps Among Uninsured U.S. Adults Aged 50-64. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2020,17(2711):2711. (International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health - http://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph). The publisher for International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is MDPI AG.

A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17082711.

Our news editors report that more information may be obtained by contacting Namkee G. Choi, University of Texas at Austin Steve Hicks School of Social Work, Austin, TX 78712, USA. Additional authors for this research include Diana M. DiNitto, Bryan Y. Choi.

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)