Age Group Differences in Healthcare Access for People With Disabilities: Are Young Adults at Increased Risk

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to quantify and describe the population of young adults with disability in Florida and to assess correlates of healthcare access in this population in contrast with adults belonging to middle and  older age  groups.

Methods

This study analyzed data of 36,704 respondents obtained from the 2007 Florida  Behavioral Risk Factor  Surveillance System. A test for  homogeneity  of the  risk difference  across the three age groups was conducted using inverse weighting to adjust for confounding and selection bias.

Results

The adjusted model for risk difference of not being able to see a doctor in the past 12 months because of cost was significantly heterogeneous across age groups ( χ 22 df F value = 12.40,  p  < .01). The risk difference between population of young adults with disability and their age peers decreased significantly across the groups. The risk difference was 15.5% for those aged 18–29, 11.9% for those aged 30–64, and 2.1% for those aged ≥65.

Conclusions

This article quantifies the differences in risk and access to  health care  between young adults with and without disability, using population-based data. It provides indirect evidence of the widely held belief that there is a problem in healthcare transition in the United States warranting continued investigation and intervention.