HEALTH-INSURANCE AND SUBJECTIVE HEALTH-STATUS - DATA FROM THE 1987 NATIONAL MEDICAL EXPENDITURE SURVEY

Objectives. The relationship between health insurance and subjective h ealth status was investigated. it was hypothesized that persons withou t health insurance would have lower levels of subjective health status than those with health insurance and that this relationship would hol d for both poor and nonpoor persons. Methods. Data from the 1987 Natio nal Medical Expenditure Survey were analyzed to examine the relationsh ip between health insurance and self-reported health status. The analy sis controlled for sociodemographic and attitudinal variables and medi cal conditions. Results. Persons without health insurance had signific antly lower levels of subjective health status than did persons with i nsurance. This adverse effect persisted after adjustments were made fo r the effects of age, sex, race, income, attitude toward the value of medical care and health insurance, and medical conditions. The detrime ntal effect of lacking health insurance on subjective health status wa s present for persons at all income levels and was greater than the ef fect on subjective health status found for 2 of the 11 reported medica l conditions. Conclusions. Lacking health insurance is associated with clinically significant lower levels of subjective health status in bo th poor and non-poor persons.