Social Integration and Health Insurance Status Among African American Men and Women

Abstract

Using 2010 national data, we investigate the relationship between social integration and health insurance for African American adults. During the previous year 21.6% of men and 19.8% of women lacked continuous health insurance. The effect of marital status, income, and employment on insurance coverage differed by age and gender. Additionally, frequency of church attendance was positively associated with continuous health insurance for women aged 51–64. Spiritual/religious identity was marginally associated with insurance status for men aged 36–50. As provisions of the Affordable Care Act take effect, implementation programs should expand enrollment efforts to include the conjugal unit and the church.

KEYWORDS:

• African Americans
• conjugal unit
• health insurance
• religiosity
• spiritual identity

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a grant from the Duke University Center for Spirituality, Theology, and Health, through the John Templeton Foundation (#11993) and was approved by the University of Maryland Institutional Review Board (#08-0329).