title: Primary Care Availability, Safety Net Clinics, and Health Insurance Coverage: The Association of These Access Factors With Preventable Hospitalizations.
abstract: The objective of the study was to examine the relationship between physician/safety net availability and health insurance coverage and preventable hospitalizations (PHs) in nonelderly adults in an urban area. Preventable conditions (PHs) were identified for nonelderly adults in Harris County using the Texas Health Care Information Collection hospital database. Multivariable logistic regression models examined the association of health insurance and patient proximity to physicians and safety net clinics with the risk of a PH. Safety net availability reduced PH risk by 23% (P < .05) but only among the uninsured. Lack of health insurance increased PH risk by 30% (P < .05).
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Health Insights, Louisville, Kentucky (Dr Murty); and Management and Policy Sciences (Dr Begley), Division of Management, Policy and Community Health (Dr Franzini), and George McMillan Fleming Professor (Dr Swint), School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston.
authors.forename: Sharanya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murty
authors.forename: Charles E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Begley
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Franzini
authors.forename: J Michael
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Swint
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D007348:Insurance, Health; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064876:Safety-net Providers; D055815:Young Adult