Map Details – Spatial Variations in Health Insurance Coverage for Lower Income Population in Georgia

Impact Statement

In 2006, 15.8% of U.S. residents did not have health insurance. The percentage was higher in Georgia (17.6%). Those near or below poverty have higher rates of non-insurance compared to the general population. For the under 65 population who are at or below 200% poverty, one large cluster of high non-insurance rates appears in north Georgia, extending from the north side of the Atlanta metro area to the TN-NC-GA border. Two smaller clusters of low non-insurance rates appear in east-central and southwest Georgia. Health disparities are observed in areas with high levels of non-insurance, especially amongst those with lower incomes.

Spatial Variations in Health Insurance Coverage for Lower Income Population in Georgia Counties, 2006

Findings here inform policy makers of areas with high levels of non-insured amongst lower income populations, clarifying descriptive statistics by documenting clusters of similar non-insurance rates.

Arc GIS 9.3, Geoda 0.95i

U.S. Census Bureau Small Area Health Insurance Estimates (SAHIE), 2006.

Uni-variate Local Indicators of Spatial Autocorrelation (LISA) with a Queens Weight matrix; counties with statistically significant correlations mapped.

Todd Matthews, Assistant Dean, College of Social Sciences and Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, University of West Georgia
(678) 839-6325
tmatthew@westga.edu

Spatial Variations in Health Insurance Coverage for Lower Income Population in Georgia Counties, 2006 Matthews, Todd, University of West Georgia; Brace, Andrea, University of Georgia, [TODAY’S DATE].