The Impact of Healthcare Accessibility on Health Outcomes among Louisiana’s Residents Following the Implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) From 2011 To 2021

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of healthcare accessibility on health outcomes among residents of the State of Louisiana following the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) between 2011 and 2021 to inform public policy. The study made use of the following variables: mortality rates, morbidity rates, lack of access to either healthcare or adequate health insurance, access to primary care physician, and access to medical screening, indeed among other relevant factors.  In the process of the study’s very rigorous interrogative research, various relevant statistical analyses were carried out using descriptive summary, regression, and correlation. A sample size of 640 was used for the data analysis for the period of 10 years, which periodically ran from 2011 through 2021 (i.e. 2011-2021). The study has subsequently revealed that that for every 1% increase in the percentage of uninsured adults among the population of Louisiana, the State’s mortality rate is likely to increase by 0.402 or 40.2%.  Furthermore, the study revealed that, for every 1% increase in the access to primary care physician among the population of Louisiana, the State’s mortality rate, and morbidity rate are likely to decrease by -0.426 or 42.6%, and -0.602 or 60.2%, respectively. Towards this end, the study revealed that about 59% variations in the mortality rate of Louisiana, and about 68% variations in Louisiana’s morbidity rate are explained by the following variables: Illiteracy as well as Percentage of Uninsured Population (or Adults), lack of Access to Primary Care Physicians, Access to Mammography Screening, Access to Diabetic Screening, and Physical Inactivity.

Keywords: Healthcare, Accessibility, Morbidity, Mortality, Insurance, Physicians, Primary care, Minority, and Health

DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/12-16-02

Publication date:August 31^st 2022