Access to Care

Background. Income level is a factor related to access to adequate medical care and health disparity.   Although no areas of the county meet U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2015) Health Professional Shortage Area designation (less than one primary care provider present per 3,000 residents), there are eight groups within the county designated as Medically Underserved Populations. These include low-income residents in the cities of Battle Creek and Albion.

Findings

Calhoun County has a 14% uninsured rate (including 18% of adults and 4% of children) and a ratio of 1,628 residents to every primary care provider (PCP), per Dartmouth Atlas of Healthcare (2014) data. Of adults, 13% of Calhoun County residents reported not seeing a doctor because of cost (BRFSS). Michigan Profile of Healthy Youth (MiPHY) 2013-14 reports that preventative/well child health care visit frequency of county high school students is lowest among those with D or F grades (43% did not get visit) and among Hispanic/Latinos (63% did not get visit), as shown in Figure 5, below.

Figure 5. Percent of high school students reporting no well child visit in past 12 months. MiPHY, 2013-14, Calhoun County.

Figure 6. Percent of births with inadequate prenatal care, from vital birth records Calhoun County, 2012.

Summary

Low-income residents of all ages and Hispanic youth are more likely to receive inadequate preventative health care (well child visit). Low-income (Medicaid), teen, and black mothers are more likely to receive inadequate prenatal care.