Table 5.

Factors Associated with Reporting a Change in Health-seeking Behavior After Being Referred to a Collection Agency or Having a Current Medical Debt

	% Reported Change	% No Effect	P Value	MLR OR (95% CI)
Age, y
17–44	62.3	37.7		1.0
45–84	73.4	26.6	.05	2.0 (0.9 to 4.4)
Race, %
African American	67.3	32.7		1.0
White	63.4	36.6	.63	0.7 (0.3 to 2.1)
Gender, %
Male	65.8	34.2		1.0
Female	69.1	30.9	.56	1.0 (0.4 to 2.3)
Education, %
<12th grade	77.3	22.7		2.5 (1.0 to 6.0)
≥12th grade	62.0	38.0	.01	1.0
Income, %
Below federal poverty level	62.0	38.0		1.0
Above federal poverty level	75.6	24.4	.03	2.1 (0.8 to 5.3)
Insurance status, %
Yes	73.2	26.8		1.0
No	61.5	38.5	.04	0.6 (0.2 to 1.4)
Source for usual care, %
Emergency room	54.6	45.4		1.0
Community/ outpatient clinic	68.8	31.2	.18	0.2 (0.1 to 1.0)
With dependent children, %
No	65.6	34.4		1.0
Yes	64.4	35.6	.85	0.9 (0.3 to 2.4)
Housing status, %
Homeless	67.7	32.3		4.1 (1.4 to 12.3)
Housed	66.7	33.3	.86	1.0
Chronic medical condition, %
No	77.6	22.4		1.0
Yes	64.1	35.9	.04	0.2 (0.1 to 0.5)
Chronic mental health condition, %
No	68.6	31.4		1.0
Yes	65.8	34.2	.63	0.9 (0.4 to 2.3)
History of substance abuse, %
No	72.7	27.3		1.0
Yes	63.5	36.5	.11	0.8 (0.3 to 2.5)
Current social service needs, %
No	76.9	23.1		1.0
Yes	64.4	35.6	.06	0.6 (0.2 to 1.6)
Site of interview, %
Clinical	66.7	33.3		0.6 (0.3 to 2.1)
Nonclinical	69.4	30.6	.65	1.0

OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval.