232122 More than health care reform: Examining the health insurance disparity among college students at two-year institutions

Monday, November 8, 2010

India D. Rose, PhD Candidate, MPH , Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
Winston Abara, MPH , Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
Leah Renee Williams, MPH , Arnold School of Public Health, Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
Lucy Annang, PhD, MPH , Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, SC
Pearl R. Fernandes, PhD , Department of Biology, University of South Carolina, Sumter, SC
Introduction: With the media's recent coverage of healthcare reform, it is important to understand the current healthcare climate in our country, particularly among college students. More than 40 million Americans are without health insurance coverage, including over 5 million college students. There is limited research about health insurance coverage among college students at two-year institutions. The purpose of this study is to examine the health insurance disparity among college students at two-year institutions and examine their healthcare seeking behaviors as it relates to the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STI).

Methods: Data were collected via self-reported questionnaire from 224 students.

Results: Descriptive statistics and chi-squares analyses were conducted. Fifty-two percent of the participants were female and 67% were White. Mean age of participants was 22.5 years. Eighty six percent of participants reported having health insurance coverage. Of those insured, only 19% were African American. Sixty-nine percent of Whites had visited a physician in the past year in comparison to 21% of African Americans. Chi-square analyses indicated that Whites were more likely to have health insurance coverage than African American students, χ2 (12)=21.12, p<.05. Those students with health insurance coverage were more likely to have been tested for STI, χ2Conclusions: Though healthcare reform passed, a major disparity still exists between African American and Caucasian students as it relates to health insurance coverage. This study found that health insurance coverage is associated with STI testing which has major implications for colleges and health insurance providers.

Learning Areas:
Provision of health care to the public
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Identify the importance of health insurance coverage among students at two-year institutions. Examine disparity in health insurance coverage between Caucasian and African American students. Describe the type of healthcare facilities frequented by college students. Evaluate the association between health insurance coverage and STI testing.

Keywords: Health Insurance, Health Care Reform

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Delta Omega student nominee
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.