Policy Changes and Improvements in Health Insurance Coverage Among MSM: 20 U.S. Cities, 2008–2014

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• 作者：Laura A. Cooley ; Brooke Hoots ; Cyprian Wejnert ; Rashunda Lewis…
• 关键词：Health insurance ; Men who have sex with men ; Health disparities
• 刊名：AIDS and Behavior
• 出版年：2017
• 出版时间：March 2017
• 年：2017
• 卷：21
• 期：3
• 页码：615-618
• 全文大小：
• 刊物类别：Medicine
• 刊物主题：Public Health; Health Psychology; Infectious Diseases;
• 出版者：Springer US
• ISSN：1573-3254
• 卷排序：21

文摘

Recent policy changes have improved the ability of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) to secure health insurance. We wanted to assess changes over time in self-reported health insurance status among MSM participating in CDC’s National HIV Behavioral Surveillance (NHBS) in 2008, 2011, and 2014. We analyzed NHBS data from sexually active MSM interviewed at venues in 20 U.S. cities. To determine if interview year was associated with health insurance status, we used a Poisson model with robust standard errors. Among included MSM, the overall percentage of MSM with health insurance rose 16 % from 2008 (68 %) to 2014 (79 %) (p value for trend < 0.001). The change in coverage over time was greatest in key demographic segments with lower health insurance coverage all three interview years, by age, education, and income. Corresponding with recent policy changes, health insurance improved among MSM participating in NHBS, with greater improvements in historically underinsured demographic segments. Despite these increases, improved coverage is still needed. Improved access to health insurance could lead to a reduction in health disparities among MSM over time.