A John Hopkins research study published a report in the “Journal of Public Health” on October 29, 2009, that stated a lack of health insurance was the most probable cause of 17,000 preventable deaths over a 17 year period (1988-2005). This study used more than 23 million hospital records from 37 states.
The study determined that the deaths among children without insurance were considerable higher than those with insurance. In fact, uninsured children were 60% more likely to die in the hospital than those insured. Furthermore, in the cases where a child had an underlying disease, the uninsured had a greater risk of dying, regardless of their disease.
This research only followed the children who died in the hospital. It does not cover the uninsured children, who died without ever being hospitalized, meaning the death rate could be even higher.
Title: “Lack of Insurance may have figured in nearly 17,000 childhood deaths, study shows”
Publication: San Francisco Bay View, “Journal of Public Health”
Date of Publication: November 7, 2009
Author: Fizan Abdullah
Faculty Evaluator: Ben Frymer
Student Researcher: Michaella Armanino: