Medicaid Receipt as a Predictor for Health Determinants in Youth With Sickle Cell Disease

Background: Youth with sickle cell disease (SCD) often rely on insurance coverage to manage progressively debilitating disease-related symptoms; yet, the relationship between Medicaid receipt and health outcomes among this population is not well understood. Literature examining the role of insurance on patients with sickle cell disease remains mixed with little support emphasizing the efficacy of health insurance for this population. Objective: The aim of the current study is to examine whether the receipt of Medicaid is associated with health outcomes in youth diagnosed with sickle cell disease. We hypothesize that the receipt of Medicaid is connected to pain severity and the frequency of disease-related symptoms. Methods: This cross-sectional research study includes 150 parents of pediatric patients with SCD to investigate whether Medicaid receipt predicts the frequency of disease-related symptoms. Parents completed a demographic information questionnaire, which gathered Medicaid status and the frequency the patient experiences pain and disease-related symptoms. Findings: A linear regression model showed Medicaid receipt was associated with whether patients experienced pain never ( p often ( p p Conclusions: These findings highlight the complexities that encompass Medicaid research involving youth with chronic illness and provide implications for policy reform. Future research should deploy a longitudinal research design that examines health outcomes pre and post Medicaid receipt

Business · Disease · Family medicine · Health care · Medicaid · Political science · Receipt · Hemoglobinopathies and Related Disorders · Medicine · Psychology · Internal Medicine

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