Special Series: Health and Health Care in New York City, Second Report
This report examines healthcare utilization among New Yorkers with high health care needs who also face economic disadvantage. These New Yorkers often forgo needed care, driven by issues of access related to cost, transportation, and mobility. Inequalities were even more stark among those facing housing challenges. This work is part of a special series funded by The Helmsley Charitable Trust.
Key Findings
New Yorkers who faced poverty or material hardship were more likely (than those not facing these forms of disadvantage) to have high health care needs (48% vs. 31%).
Those facing economic disadvantage were more likely (than those without disadvantage) to report need for mental health care.
Those facing economic disadvantage were more likely to experience rates of delayed or forgone physical health care (49% vs. 32%) and delayed mental health care (59% vs. 46%).
The most common reason for delayed health care was COVID-19. However, those facing economic disadvantage were less likely to report the COVID-19 pandemic as a reason for delayed care (52% vs. 64%).
Those facing economic disadvantage were more likely to delay or forgo care because of the cost to see a doctor (39% vs. 5%), a lack of transportation (13% vs. 2%), and an inability to afford a prescription medication (8% vs. <1%).
New Yorkers with high health care needs faced higher rates of housing hardship (79% vs 66%), which were particularly high among those who experienced serious psychological distress (89%).
Those facing economic disadvantage reported higher rates of feeling that they were judged unfairly, treated with disrespect, or discriminated against.
The Poverty Tracker is a longitudinal study of the dynamics of poverty and disadvantage in New York City. It is a joint project of Robin Hood and Columbia University.
This report is part of a special series funded by The Helmsley Charitable Trust to provide a better understanding of the economic lives of New Yorkers with the highest health care needs with the aim to improve the city’s health care system and its ability to serve all New Yorkers.
Read the baseline report in the health and healthcare series with data collected before the pandemic.