An Investigation Into the Use of Rates of Uninsurance as a Marker for Community Health in the State of Ohio

Objective: Previous studies have shown a correlation between rates of uninsurance and worse health outcomes. However, the efficacy of utilizing uninsurance rates as a marker for community health has not been clearly shown. Therefore, this study investigates how rates of uninsurance in Ohio correlate with worse health outcomes, as well as how Ohio counties utilize health insurance.Methods: County Health Rankings was used look at rates of uninsurance among adults and children in Ohio along with diabetes prevalence, preventable hospitalizations, and premature death. T-tests, ANOVA, and Pearson and Spearman correlations were utilized to determine the effects of uninsurance rates on the various health outcomes.Results: We found a significant difference (r=0.327, p=0.002) between rates of uninsurance and diabetes in Ohio. Which points to how higher uninsurance rates in each county can be a marker of worse outcomes. However, the correlations between uninsurance rates and health indicators, such as preventable hospitalizations, years of life lost, and diabetes rates among children, did not reveal data suggesting worse health in these communities. Ohio has similar rates of uninsurance in comparison to Indiana, and both states have higher rates of uninsurance in comparison to Kentucky (F=22.480, p=<0.001). In addition, Ohio’s rate of uninsurance has increased between 2016 and 2023 (t=-40.63, p=<.001). Finally, there was no statistical difference between uninsurance rates and years of life lost or uninsurance among children and adulthood diabetes. Overall, while uninsurance rates seem to provide a potential link to determining a community's health, additional metrics need to be developed and implemented to strengthen their application.