Low-Income Fathers' Access to Health Insurance.

Low rates of health insurance among low-income, workingage men are disproportionately high (as compared withwomen of similar ages and older men), reflecting the factthat these men have few options for private or publicinsurance. Lack of insurance is a serious concern insofaras low-income men have higher mortality rates thanlow-income women of similar ages. They also have higherprevalence rates for conditions like hypertension, highcholesterol and unhealthy weight, which put them at riskfor other health problems. Low-income men are more likelyto die from health conditions like diabetes, stroke and heartdisease compared with men in higher income brackets.They are also more likely to work in jobs involving healthhazards and are less likely to have access to employer-sponsored health insurance. Lack of health insurance maycontribute to low-income men's relatively poor healthstatus and life expectancy as insurance can act as a bufferto health problems by increasing access to preventive care,health-related screenings and early diagnosis. This brief uses data from the one-year follow-up surveys of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine low-income fathers' access to health insurance based on father characteristics and family factors. (Author abstract modified)