Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-10-2024
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Political Science
First Advisor
Hannah Allen
Second Advisor
Ruaa Al Juboori
Third Advisor
Julie Wronski
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
ABSTRACT
ZOEY LYNN PETERS: Health, Politics, and Policy: Exploring the Interplay of Health Status on Voting Behavior and Policy Knowledge Across Political Parties in the United States
(Under the direction of Dr. Hannah Allen)
Background. Citizens actively engaging with their politics and government is crucial for the survival of our democracy. Voting and policy knowledge are two significant indicators of citizen engagement and there are many factors that can affect whether people will vote or stay informed on relevant policy. The healthcare system in the United States is a constant topic of controversy in American politics and it impacts every citizen. To have control over the kind of healthcare system with which they live, citizens must engage in their political processes by voting and staying engaged in order to influence the policy that directly affects them. The aims of this study were to 1) assess the association between health status and political participation (voting behavior and policy knowledge) among adults ages 26 and older, and 2) examine whether the association between health status and political participation among adults aged 26 and older differs between political parties.
Methods. N=100 adults residing in the United States and aged 26 and older completed an anonymous online survey in the Fall of 2023. The survey gathered data on demographic characteristics, health status, party affiliation, voting behavior, and policy knowledge. Participants were asked to rate their general health on a five-point scale from poor to excellent. Participants indicated whether they had voted in the last U.S. presidential election in 2020 and if they intended to vote in the upcoming U.S. presidential election in 2024. Participants also responded to three items on a five-point Likert scale from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5) related to their health policy knowledge.
Results. While there was no significant association between health status and voting behavior, there was a significant negative association between health status and the belief in the need for healthcare reform in the overall sample and among Democrats. There was a negative association between health status and the perceived importance of staying informed on health policy issues among Republicans that was approaching statistical significance. Among Democrats, there was a positive association between health status and satisfaction with the affordability of healthcare in the U.S. that was approaching statistical significance.
Conclusion. This study reveals key associations between health status and political engagement among U.S. adults aged 26 and older. While no significant correlation was found between health and voting behavior, variations emerged in policy knowledge and attitudes toward healthcare reform, particularly within distinct political affiliations. The findings point to diverse perspectives within political parties based on health status. Further research is needed to explore additional influencing factors and potential changes over time.
Recommended Citation
Peters, Zoey, "Health, Politics, and Policy: Exploring the Interplay of Health Status on Voting Behavior and Policy Knowledge Across Political Parties in the United States" (2024). Honors Theses. 3153.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/3153