The Impact of Health Care Coverage on Changes in Self-Rated Health: Comparison between the Near Poor and the Upper Middle Class / 보건행정학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study aims to analyze the impact of levels of health care coverage on the trajectory of self-rated health, comparing the near-poor which tends to be excluded in traditional health care systems with the upper middle class. METHODS: The study participants were 3,687 people who sincerely responded questions regarding health care expenditures, unmet medical needs, and self-rated health in the Korea Health Panel data in 2009-2012. RESULTS: The higher health care expenditures and the presence of unmet medical needs were significantly associated with the lower level of self-rated health. However, both factors did not significantly predict the steeper decline in the self-rated health. The results from multiple group analyses showed that health care expenditures and unmet medical needs had greater impact on the near-poor compared to their higher income counterparts. CONCLUSION: Public health care coverages need to be enhanced as well as reducing health care expenditures and unmet medical needs.