AIDS Care · 1998 · 12 citations · 0 references
Public AffairsHealth PolicyHealth Services AdministrationHealth Care FinancingHealth EquityHealth Services ResearchAccess To CareHealth Care AccessHealth Care UtilizationMedicaidNonprofit Health Care FinanceRetention In CareBarriersHealth Care Access DisparitiesHealth Care Utilization BarriersHiv Care AccessMedical Care SupportSelf-administered QuestionnairesSelf-report QuestionnairesSociodemographic Inequality
We evaluated whether the Ryan White CARE Act, which funds medical care and supportive services for low-income HIV-infected persons, equalizes health service use in San Francisco. Clients at nine CARE (n = 300) and four non-CARE (n = 172) funded sites completed self-administered questionnaires. There were no significant differences between CARE and non-CARE clients with respect to physician visits, hospitalization or emergency room use in the previous year after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and health status. Unemployment and poor health independently predicted higher medical service use. CARE appears to reduce financial barriers to medical services.