142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Home Events & Meetings Annual Meeting Schedule & Program

Online Program

Annual Meeting Recordings are now available for purchase

305963
Asthma and asthma-related health care quality and utilization by disability

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Sunday, November 16, 2014

Michelle Stransky, Ph.D. , Institute on Disability, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
Robert J. Mcgrath, PhD , Health Management and Policy, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
Amanda Reichard, PhD , Institute on Disability, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
Monica McClain, PhD , Health Management and Policy, and Institute on Disability, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
Kimberly Phillips, MA , Institute on Disability, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
Andew J. Houtenville, PhD , Department of Economics, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
Charles Drum, MPA, JD, PhD , Institute on Disability, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
Background and Importance

Asthma is a prevalent, yet manageable, chronic condition.  In general, studies have shown that people with disabilities face disparities with regard to health, access to health care, and health care outcomes.  Yet, little is known about the interplay of asthma and disability.  To address this gap, we examined asthma prevalence and health care quality and utilization among people with and without disabilities using the nationally representative Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS).

Methods and Results

Using pooled data from the 2004-2010 MEPS, we examined asthma and asthma-related quality health care processes (asthma attack, preventive medication, acute inhaler, influenza vaccine, tobacco cessation recommendations) and utilization and costs (outpatient visits, emergency department visits, inpatient stays, total care) among working age adults with physical limitations and no limitations.  Regressions models controlled for sociodemographic and health- and health-related factors. 

Working age adults had a significantly higher prevalence of asthma and asthma attack but were no different than their nondisabled counterparts with regard to other asthma-related care processes or health care utilization and cost.  Analyses found few differences between adults with physical limitations only and adults with multiple limitations, including a physical limitation.

Conclusions

Persons with disabilities may experience poorer quality health care for asthma than their non-disabled counterparts, as shown by poorer asthma management.  It is important to assess the impact of additional disabilities when assessing chronic conditions and their related outcomes.

Learning Areas:

Chronic disease management and prevention
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe the prevalence of asthma among adults with and without disabilities. Describe asthma-related quality health care processes and utilization. Identify disparities in asthma attack prevalence among adults with and without disabilities.

Keyword(s): Disabilities, Asthma

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been a co-author on multiple published papers in my area of interest, which is complex health and the health care system.
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: 2025.0: Evidence-Based Approaches To Public Health I