<p> Healthcare utilization is a factor that directs quality and cost of health services. The cost of healthcare, income level, and demographics affect the frequency and circumstances, in which patients seek medical attention. One of the main goals of public assistance programs in this study is to facilitate the access to medical services for vulnerable groups of children. This study analyzes the impact of enrollment in various different public assistance programs and the access patterns to healthcare services. The study found that children who are enrolled in public assistance programs are more likely to visit an emergency room but less likely to visit a doctor at least 7 times a year (high utilization) compared to children who are also eligible for public programs but are not enrolled. This difference in patterns has a significant impact on cost of health services for public assistance programs' beneficiaries. A causal multifactorial link is observed, and therefore further research is needed.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:1585819 |
| Date | 07 April 2015 |
| Creators | Zajkowska, Sandra |
| Publisher | California State University, Long Beach |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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