title: An ecological perspective on rural, low-income mothers' health.
abstract: Using structural equation modeling, this study examined interactions among factors traditionally associated with health outcomes within a sample of rural low-income mothers. Prior research has established that education, employment, income, marital status, and health insurance coverage independently predict health outcomes. However, no studies have examined the simultaneous influence of these factors as conceptualized from an ecological systems perspective. Results indicate that when the multiple factors are considered simultaneously, different effects emerge. Implications are that the context in which these women live and the interactions between and among key influencing factors must be considered when addressing health challenges in rural areas.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Social Work, University of North Texas, Denton , Texas , USA.
authors.forename: Tiffany
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bice-Wigington
authors.forename: Leigh Ann
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Simmons
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huddleston-Casas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers; D011203:Poverty; D012424:Rural Population; D064890:Social Determinants of Health; D014481:United States
keywords: Rural; health care reform; health care utilization; health disparities; low-income women