Analyzing the Relationship Between Material Hardship and Health Care Use and Spending

Using nationally representative data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation, a U.S. Census Bureau–sponsored survey of the civilian noninstitutionalized population, the Urban Institute team will examine measures of material hardship—food insecurity, housing quality, missed rent or bill payments—and their association with use of inpatient and outpatient services, prescription drug use, and out-of-pocket spending. The analysis will determine how these relationships vary with demographic, socioeconomic, and health characteristics, and how these relationships change over time. The project will produce previously unavailable information for policymakers, researchers, and health system leaders about the link between material hardship and care utilization and costs. These findings could inform new strategies for improving outcomes and lowering costs for difficult-to-treat populations.