The health of poor women under welfare reform.
OBJECTIVE
We compared the health of single mothers affected by welfare reform with the health of a nationally representative sample of women to document the prevalence of poor health as single mothers experience the effects of welfare reform.


METHODS
We compared risk factors and measures of health among women randomly sampled from the welfare rolls with similar data from a nationally representative sample of women.


RESULTS
Women in our welfare recipient sample had higher rates of elevated glycosylated hemoglobin (> or = 6%; prevalence ratio [PR]=4.87; 95% confidence interval [CI]=2.69, 7.04), hypertension (systole > or = 140 or diastole > or = 90; PR=2.36; 95% CI = 1.47, 3.24), high body mass index ( > or = 30; PR = 1.78; 95% CI = 1.49, 2.08), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (< or = 35 mg/dL; PR=1.91; 95% CI=1.17, 2.65); lower peak expiratory flow; and less physical functioning. Current smoking rates were higher (PR = 1.85; 95% CI = 1.50, 2.19) and smoking cessation rates were lower (PR=0.62; 95% CI=0.37, 0.86) than in the national sample.


CONCLUSIONS
Current and former welfare recipients bear a substantial burden of illness. Further studies are necessary to interpret our findings of worsened health in the wake of welfare reform.
Kaplan
George A
GA
Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health, 1214 S University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA. gkaplan@umich.edu
Siefert
Kristine
K
Ranjit
Nalini
N
Raghunathan
Trivellore E
TE
Young
Elizabeth A
EA
Tran
Diem
D
Danziger
Sandra
S
Hudson
Susan
S
Lynch
John W
JW
Tolman
Richard
R
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008824:Michigan; D008875:Middle Aged; D009309:National Center for Health Statistics, U.S.; D011203:Poverty; D015406:Single Parent; D012946:Social Welfare; D014481:United States; D016387:Women's Health