Access to hypertensive care. Effects of income, insurance, and source of care.
BACKGROUND
This study examines the relationship between income, health insurance, and usual source of care characteristics and screening and management of hypertension.


METHODS
This is a secondary analysis of data from the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey. Adult survey respondents constitute a sample representative of the total adult noninstitutionalized US population. Screening, follow-up care, and pharmacologic treatment for hypertension were examined among low income individuals, the uninsured, those without a usual source of care place, and those without a particular usual source of care physician.


RESULTS
The uninsured, individuals without a usual source of care place, and those without a particular usual source of care physician received less screening, follow-up care, and pharmacologic treatment for hypertension. Income did not affect receipt of hypertensive care.


CONCLUSIONS
Lack of health insurance and lack of a usual source of care are barriers to hypertensive care. Policies that increase access to health insurance or to usual source of care physicians may enable more individuals to attain control of hypertension.
Moy
E
E
Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA.
Bartman
B A
BA
Weir
M R
MR
D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D007182:Income; D007348:Insurance, Health; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D016017:Odds Ratio; D014481:United States