Income and Insurance Status Impact Access to Health Care for Hip Osteoarthritis

PURPOSE: To explore differences in the affordability of and accessibility to health care among adults with hip osteoarthritis with respect to race/ethnicity, income, and insurance status. METHODS: This cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted using 2016 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data. NHIS data collection occurred continuously from January to December 2016. Individuals belonging to households and noninstitutionalized groups were included in the study. Because NHIS randomized surveys are conducted face-to-face on an annual basis, follow-up data are not collected. RESULTS: Answers from 38,158,634 weighted respondents with a mean age of 58.33 ± 0.33 years were assessed. Among adults with hip osteoarthritis, those with public insurance had increased odds of delaying care owing to lack of transportation and had decreased odds of delaying care and follow-up care owing to cost. Individuals who were uninsured or who belonged to lower income brackets were associated with increased odds of being unable to afford or utilize health care. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we found that income bracket and insurance status affect the accessibility to health care among adults with hip osteoarthritis in the United States. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, prognostic case series.