262640 Cost as a barrier to accessing medical care among adults ages 18-64 years in Los Angeles County

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Courtney Coles, BA , Office of Health Assessment and Epidemiology, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
Susie Baldwin, MD, MPH , Office of Health Assessment and Epidemiology, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
Gigi Mathew, DrPH, MPH , Office of Health Assessment and Epidemiology, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
Health insurance directly affects the affordability of health care services; however, even those who have health care coverage are not ensured access to all needed health care services due to the out-of-pocket burden. This report describes the impact of affordability as a barrier to accessing health care services among adults (18-64 years old) living in Los Angeles County. Data is based upon the Los Angeles County Health Survey (LACHS), a population-based telephone survey which gathered information on the inability to access a medical doctor for a health problem, prescription medicine, mental health care or counseling, or dental care (including check-ups) in the past year due to affordability. Currently, the 2007 LACHS data is cited in this report and will include 2011 LACHS data when it becomes available. Results show that over 20% of adults living in LA County were uninsured in 2007. Adults reported cost as a barrier to dental care (22.3%) more often than seeing a medical doctor for a health problem (11.8%), obtaining prescription medicine (12.1%), or mental health care (5.9%). More than twice as many African Americans and Latinos reported cost as a barrier to seeing a doctor for a medical problem and to purchasing prescriptions compared to whites and Asians/Pacific Islanders. As a result of the Affordable Care Act, many low-income California residents will gain health care coverage that requires little to no cost sharing. This may make comprehensive health care services more accessible and affordable.

Learning Areas:
Program planning
Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe differences in medical care services utilization among persons in need of a medical doctor, prescription medicines, mental health care or counseling, or dental care (including check-ups) due to cost.

Keywords: Health Care Access, Health Disparities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a second year graduate student at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Public Health. I have experience completing an abstract and presenting a poster at a conference.
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.

Back to: 2040.0: Poster Session I - Access to Care and Health Inequities