When systemic issues of health access and reform are investigated, many questions arise. Health disparities are based on a number of factors and contexts. Poverty, for example, has been directly related to both health and mental health outcomes. For instance, in the Healthy People 2020 report (https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/data-search/Search-the-Data#objid=5249), one specific study that addressed social determinants of identified poverty status in the United States utilized data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2014, almost 15% of the United States population met the necessary criteria for living in poverty. The United States Census Bureau recognizes “poverty status” based on money income, excluding any federal or state benefit (e.g., food stamps), and overall family size. In 2010, for a two-child family, with two parents living in the home, the poverty threshold was set at $22,113.
Name two goals of and provide examples of each with respect to the Department of Health and Human Services initiative noted in the Healthy People 2020 report.
The Healthy People 2020 report found that a higher percentage of residents in nonmetropolitan areas, when compared to metropolitan area residents, met the poverty threshold. (a) Name two possible reasons for this finding. (b) How does this finding relate to potential health outcomes for those residents?
In the Healthy People 2020 report (noted in the exercise), what is the difference in poverty status for those with a disability and those without a disability? Explain the trend.
In 2016, the poverty threshold was raised to $24,300 from the 2010 threshold of $22,113 for a two-parent, two-child household. What could be some reasons for this change?