Access to primary health care for children in low-income communities continues to be a major policy concern. Despite efforts to increase access through Medicaid expansion and the Children's Health Insurance Program, about 15% of America's children remain uninsured (HRSA, 1999) with 20% of uninsured children not having any source of primary health care (Weigers, Weinick, & Cohen, 1998). Even with insurance, access may be difficult for children in low-income communities. This presentation examines additional barriers to health care for children in low-income communities in the rural South using data collected as part of a national study of pregnant and parenting teens funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. Data were collected on 197 teens living in four rural South Carolina Counties with 22% reporting that their children had not received any health care over a 6 month to one year time period. Preliminary analysis revealed that the teens' beliefs regarding impulse control, substance use, contraceptive use, and involvement with the child's father were all related to their children's health care use. These findings and findings regarding spatial proximity to health care providers and geographic and infrastructure barriers to health services will be presented. Implications for health policy will be discussed
Learning objectives: At the end of this session, participants will: 1) understand issues related to health care access for children of teens in the rural South; 2) understand maternal and community factors influencing health care access; and 3) understand the policy and program implications derived from these findings.
Learning Objectives: 1. understand issues related to health care access for children of teens in the rural South 2. understand maternal and community factors influencing health care access 3. understand the policy and program implications derived from these findings
Keywords: Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Community Health Programs
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.