Rural-Urban Differences in Health Care Unaffordability During the Postpartum Period.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The objective of this study was to examine health care unaffordability for rural and urban residents and by postpartum status.

Methods

We used cross-sectional survey data on female-identifying respondents ages 18-44 (n=17,800) from the 2019 to 2021 National Health Interview Study. Outcomes of interest were 3 measures of health care unaffordability. We conducted bivariate and multivariable regression models to assess the association between health care unaffordability, rurality, and postpartum status.

Results

Bivariate analyses showed postpartum people reported statistically significantly higher rates of being unable to pay medical bills and having problems medical paying bills, as compared with nonpostpartum people. Rural residents also reported statisticall

SUBMITTER: MacDougall H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10421621 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature