Low Income

Research Findings

Research Activities, August 2008:
Poorer treatment and lower socioeconomic status may underlie ethnic disparities in breast cancer survival
Media coverage has boosted awareness of colorectal cancer screening, but messages need to be more targeted
Low-income adults with physical disabilities face transportation, accessibility, and privacy barriers

Research Activities, July 2008:
Studies examine racial/ethnic disparities and use patterns for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Minority status and vulnerable early life experiences prompt physicians' engagement in reducing care disparities
Housing instability and food insecurity among low-income children are linked to diminished access to health care
Urban, low-income adults with high blood pressure are reasonably knowledgeable about their condition
Children often lose Medicaid coverage when their parents do, even though they are still eligible
The financial burden of health care felt by low-income families a decade ago may now affect middle-income families
State policies can influence the safety of hospitalized children via Medicaid payments
Hospital emergency departments treat mostly poor children

Research Activities, June 2008:
Children from low-income communities are five times more likely to have untreated cavities

Research Activities, May 2008:
Nearly one-third of adults show low literacy on dental health
Trio of factors affects low-income parents' ability to purchase health care for their families

Research Activities, April 2008:
Children from lower income families are not as likely to visit a dentist after a care provider's referral
Concerns about SCHIP expansions crowding out private insurance are not borne out in New York
Conference on assisted living reveals its evolution, dearth of research, and quality of life for residents
Poverty-related factors rather than frequency of primary care visits underlie racial disparities in preventive care
Life challenges, not discharge problems, cause repeat hospitalizations

Research Activities, March 2008:
Sensitization to indoor allergens is not linked to increased asthma problems among inner-city adults

Research Activities, February 2008:
Study of young Head Start children links overweight to worsened asthma
Nurse midwives deliver more babies in hospitals than homes in Washington State
Medicare drug plans cover a good selection of drugs for nursing home residents, but plan vigilance should continue
Hospitals serving the uninsured and underserved need help with public reporting and pay-for-performance measures

Research Activities, January 2008:
Medicaid-insured parents could benefit from educational programs to promote more judicious use of antibiotics
Intervention programs that focus on already violent youth are more effective than other programs for reducing violent behavior
Some women with breast cancer do not receive adjuvant treatments recommended by guidelines
Use of antidepressants by low-income pregnant women has jumped more than twofold, raising questions about fetal risks
Use of complementary and alternative medicine is common among persons who have been hospitalized for coronary artery disease

Research Activities, December 2007:
Over 5 million eligible children remain uninsured, despite SCHIP enrollment gains
Women leaving the hospital against medical advice after delivering a baby should be targeted for more services
Severe food insecurity among low-income adults is linked to an increased rate of diabetes
Doctors should advise Latino families about the safety, low cost, and dental health benefits of drinking tap water

Research Activities, November 2007:
Local touchscreen computer kiosks can help parents in urban, low-income communities learn about their child's health
Postdischarge care management that integrates medical and social care can improve outcomes of the low-income elderly
Low income middle-aged Americans have higher 10-year death rates even after controlling for their worse health at baseline
End-of-life care expenditures and use among Medicare colorectal cancer patients differ more by age than gender
California Medicaid managed care plans would like to increase chronic disease care management programs

Research Activities, October 2007:
Studies show lower colorectal cancer screening rates and access to surgery among the poor, minority, and uninsured
Barriers to timely diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer in black men arise from lower socioeconomic status
Three-fourths of low-income black women are dissatisfied with their body size 6 months after giving birth

Research Activities, September 2007:
Medicare Part D provides coverage protection for mental health-related drugs, but certain drugs still may not be covered

Research Activities, August 2007:
Location of shelters and other assistance programs impacts the incidence of violence against homeless women
Disability determinations for job-related low back pain have questionable validity and reflect racial inequities
Socioeconomically disadvantaged patients with lupus have less access to and use of health care
Substance abuse and psychiatric illness account for the majority of hospital admissions among homeless veterans
Education, income, and wealth all affect medical care expenditures among Medicare managed care members

Research Activities, July 2007:
Studies examine the impact of rheumatic diseases on the ability to work
Supportive housing may be a feasible and appropriate model of care for chronically homeless persons

Research Activities, June 2007:
The State Children's Health Insurance Program can improve care access, use, and quality for children with special health care needs and adolescents
Certain medical education programs may reinforce physicians' goals to practice in disadvantaged communities

Research Activities, May 2007:
Both poor and black patients are more likely to believe that a positive self-presentation can affect the quality of their medical care
Transfer of health care funding from California State to counties maintained commitment to social service spending for the indigent

Research Activities, April 2007:
Education, income, and net worth explain more U.S. racial/ethnic health disparities than health behaviors and insurance

Research Activities, March 2007:
Efforts to improve chronic disease management quality yield better care delivery but not better intermediate outcomes
Studies highlight the interaction between managed care and market forces and their impact on quality of care
State Children's Health Insurance Programs have improved access to care for previously uninsured children
Urban influence codes reveal more about children's patterns of health care use and coverage
The financial burden of health care for people under age 65 increased between 1996 and 2003
Forty percent of families who leave welfare for work have no health insurance 19 months later

Research Activities, February 2007:
Many children do not receive recommended well-child visits during the year, especially disadvantaged children
Advance care plans of nursing home residents vary by age, race/ethnicity, and income
Growth in local jobs that offer health insurance can move the working poor off the Medicaid program

Research Activities, January 2007:
Missed opportunities: Too few Americans are being screened or counseled to prevent colorectal cancer, obesity, and other conditions
Trust in medical care does not differ by race among indigent people with diabetes, but more trust can improve their quality of life
State children's health insurance and premium-subsidy programs do not always provide a bridge to private health insurance

Research Activities, December 2006:
Racial differences in religiosity and religious coping styles are linked to use of health care services by low-income older women
People with low incomes are more likely to obtain dental care outside of private dental practices than those with higher incomes

Research Activities, November 2006:
Providing free blood glucose monitors to patients with diabetes initially encourages self-management, especially among blacks
Women's self-report of mammography use conflicts with verified reports using claims data
Long-term outpatient central venous catheters for bone infections cause complications in about 40 percent of children

Research Activities, October 2006:
Rural children with special health care needs are more likely than their urban counterparts to lack needed dental care

Research Activities, September 2006:
Nurse-led care improves functioning for patients with heart failure in minority communities

Research Activities, August 2006:
Twice as many minority children than white children with special health care needs do not receive needed vision care
Studies highlight the value of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to inform trends in care costs, coverage, use, and access

Research Activities, July 2006:
Aggressive Medicaid and SCHIP outreach programs are needed to enroll Latino children
Enrollment in New York's State Children's Health Insurance Program improves asthma care quality and access
Some adults with diabetes face high health care expenditures

Research Activities, June 2006:
Limited health care access impairs blood sugar control among low-income urban blacks with type 2 diabetes
Disadvantaged blacks differ from disadvantaged whites in beliefs about genetic testing

Research Activities, May 2006
Nurse-anchored practice-based research centers help address health disparities
Parents of children with special health care needs identify multiple barriers to accessing care for their children
AHRQ's health care quality and disparities reports can help nurse leaders make key decisions about quality and patient safety
Researchers examine gender disparities in the quality of preventive care and management of heart disease and diabetes
The recommended dose of intravenous morphine does not control severe acute pain in patients presenting to the emergency department

Research Activities, April 2006
A school-based weight loss/exercise program can reduce weight among low-income black children
One-fourth of America's non-elderly poor go years without the protection of health insurance

Research Activities, March 2006
Minority children living in public housing are more likely to suffer from chronic health problems
Inmates who are released from prison often join the ranks of the homeless
SCHIP significantly decreases uninsurance and increases public insurance for children in low-income families
Medi-Cal changes in the 1990s shifted newborn deliveries from large public hospitals to smaller community hospitals

Research Activities, February 2006:
Low-income Hispanics and blacks use alternative health care as a substitute for conventional care
Expansion in public health insurance for children lessens the financial burden of health care for low-income families

Research Activities, January 2006:
Studies examine the impact of Medicaid managed care programs on access to and use of care
State-subsidized health insurance programs provide both benefits and difficulties for low-income children

Research Activities, November 2005:
Studies examine rates of morbid obesity and bariatric surgery and risk of death after the surgery
Studies detail the impact of costs on drug and health care use

Research Activities, October 2005:
Study explores women's attitudes and barriers to acceptance of an HIV vaccine

Research Activities, September 2005:
Black and low-income workers have worse outcomes than other workers after filing compensation claims for low back injuries
Out-of-pocket health care expenses pose a significant financial burden for low-income families with children

Research Activities, August 2005:
Efforts beyond expanding health coverage may be needed to improve access and quality for low-income and minority children
Certain managed care organization characteristics can increase specialty care use among chronically ill low-income children
Fears about the digital divide between advantaged and disadvantaged families may not be warranted
Elderly individuals with financial problems face more disability and risk of death after hospital discharge
Cancer survival is lower among Medicaid than non-Medicaid patients, especially for those enrolled after cancer diagnosis

Research Activities, June 2005:
Study reveals racial/ethnic and income-related disparities in use of Web-based health services
Maryland Medicaid saved millions of dollars by ending reimbursement of dentists for treating adult dental emergencies

Research Activities, April 2005:
Sociodemographic factors affect receipt of preventive care services among women aged 65 and older

Research Activities, March 2005:
Significant exposure to tobacco smoke and underuse of controller medications exacerbate asthma symptoms among Head Start children
Ethnic differences in willingness to undergo knee replacement may explain disparities in receipt of this procedure
Clinics funded by the Ryan White CARE Act provide more specialized and comprehensive HIV care than other HIV clinics

Research Activities, February 2005:
Adding a breakfast portion to home-delivered meals can improve the lives of frail, homebound older adults
Study confirms underuse of lipid-lowering agents by Medicaid-insured minority patients with cardiovascular disease

Research Activities, January 2005:
Children with special needs often don't receive the health care services and assistive devices they need
Elderly people who lack prescription drug coverage may not get needed medications for chronic conditions
Medicare managed care enrollees make significant use of home health benefits, but low education limits use of medical equipment

Research Activities, December 2004:
Some low-income parents do not recognize mental health problems and service needs of children with special health care needs
Use of antipsychotic medications nearly doubled among low-income children in Tennessee in the late 1990s

Research Activities, November 2004:
Blacks with diabetes are no more likely to be depressed than other blacks, but those with both problems use more health care
About 13 percent of U.S. children and 26 percent of those with disabilities or chronic illness see a specialist in a year

Research Activities, October 2004:
CHIRI™ study finds that SCHIP benefits low-income children, and vulnerable children share in the improvements

Research Activities, August 2004:
Ethnicity, income, and public financing all influence medical safety net providers in large urban communities

Research Activities, March 2004:
Researchers find SCHIP and Medicaid networks compete for physicians in some markets

Research Activities, February 2004:
Church attendance may serve as an additional health care safety net for impoverished black communities

Research Activities, January 2004:
Elderly, low-income black women need more education about the importance of breast cancer screening