Poor Women More Likely to Have Health Problems, Limiting their Employment Potential, Study Finds

Women on welfare, especially those who are unemployed, experience physical and emotional health problems at a "significantly" higher rate than other American women, making it difficult for them to move off public assistance, according to a new study of four U.S. cities. The AP/Philadelphia Inquirer reports that as part of its Urban Change project, researchers at Manpower Demonstration Research Corp. in 1998 and 1999 surveyed 3,771 poor women in Cleveland, Los Angeles, Miami and Philadelphia who had been on welfare in May 1995, some of whom were still receiving assistance at the time of the survey and some "who had left for work or other reason." Researchers also conducted "in-depth interviews" with 171 of the study participants. Here are some of the main findings from the report:

Seventy-five percent of the women on welfare had at least one health problem "considered to be a potential barrier to work" -- including obesity, depression, drug use, homelessness and seeing a doctor more than five times in the past year. Of the women surveyed, 40% had two such health problems (Meckler, AP/Philadelphia Inquirer, 7/18).
Twenty-five percent of the women surveyed "described themselves as being in fair or poor health," compared to the nationwide rate of 8%.
Eight percent of the children of the women surveyed were reported to be in fair or poor health, compared to 3% nationally (Rivera, Los Angeles Times, 7/18).
Only 17% of women who had left welfare and held jobs said they were in poor to fair health, compared to 32% of women on welfare and not working and 35% of those neither collecting benefits nor working.

The AP/Inquirer reports that women who were off welfare were "much less likely to have health insurance, since virtually everyone on welfare" participates in Medicaid (AP/Philadelphia Inquirer, 7/18). However, the two program are no longer tied together, and leaving welfare does not necessarily entail leaving Medicaid. In addition to other changes, the 1996 welfare reform law delinked Medicaid from welfare eligibility so that families could qualify for Medicaid regardless of their welfare status. While those on welfare typically qualify for Medicaid, enrollment in a welfare program is not required for Medicaid eligibility. Nevertheless, studies have shown that a "significant" proportion of adults and children lose their health coverage after they leave welfare. A September 2000 analysis by the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities stated that half of parents and one third of children who leave welfare lose Medicaid coverage, even though a "large majority" of such parents and children remain eligible for Medicaid or CHIP (Kaiser Daily Health Report, 9/15/00). The CBPP analysis is available online.

Policy Implications
With the time limitations on welfare eligibility imposed by the 1996 federal welfare reform act, the report "raises the question" of whether women who are moving off welfare will be able to find and hold jobs. "Some of the barriers of welfare recipients -- such as having chronic health problems or several children with illnesses -- may be too intractable to remedy to the point where the women could become totally self-sufficient," the report stated. The study did note that all four areas surveyed "have taken steps to provide health insurance for women who leave welfare for work," the Los Angeles Times reports (Los Angeles Time, 7/18).

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Poor Women More Likely to Have Health Problems, Limiting their Employment Potential, Study Finds

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