Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-9-2020
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Sociology and Anthropology
First Advisor
John Green
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
This thesis investigated the connection between socioeconomic status, healthcare coverage, and birth outcomes. The research question that was posed specifically looked at twenty perinatal services that states covered under Medicaid to varying degrees to see their association, if any, with premature birth rates and low birthweight rates. State-level and Mississippi county-level data were compiled regarding preterm birth rates, low birthweight rates, presumptive eligibility adoption, and coverage of twenty different perinatal services. Using these data, the correlation between state Medicaid expansion status and birth outcomes was first calculated in order to determine if variation in birth outcomes was associated with expanded Medicaid coverage. After this, the relationship between birth outcomes and poverty was determined at both the state level and the Mississippi county level. The research found that poverty had a very positive correlation with high rates of poor birth outcomes and that state-level coverage was minimally correlated with birth outcomes. This study concluded by calling for further research into the Medicaid system, preventative care models for Medicaid, or systemic reform to the healthcare delivery system.
Recommended Citation
Myers, Joy Morgan, "An Examination of the Association Between State Medicaid Perinatal Services and Birth Outcomes" (2020). Honors Theses. 1386.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/1386
Accessibility Status
Searchable text
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Included in
Community Health Commons, Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons, Maternal and Child Health Commons, Medicine and Health Commons, Obstetrics and Gynecology Commons, Women's Health Commons