Differences in the Effects of the Great Recession on Health Outcomes among Minority Working-Age Adults

Introduction We examined the effects of the Great Recession (December 2007-June 2009) among vulnerable adults who may be at high risk of poor health and low access to health care. Methods Our primary outcomes of interest were self-reported health status (fair/poor versus good/very good/excellent), and foregoing needed health care due to cost in the past 12 months. Results Racial and ethnic minorities, except Asians, experienced higher rates of poor/fair health and higher rates of forgone medical care than did White adults. Hispanic and AIAN adults experienced differential effects of the Great Recession, as compared to White adults. Conclusions Understanding how vulnerable populations react in times of economic fluxwill enable policymakers to identify strategies/policies to lessen the burden experienced by vulnerable adults.