Recent research indicates that medical problems are a significant contributor to personal bankruptcy filings. However, these studies illuminate only one part the relationship between health declines and the financial well- being of families, both because they have been cross-sectional and descriptive, and because they examine a narrow measure of financial distress-court-adjudicated insolvency. The purpose of this dissertation is to develop a deeper understanding of the relationship between health declines and the financial well-being of U.S. families. Using the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), a nationally representative longitudinal panel survey conducted by the Census Bureau, I will identify families where a member experiences a decline in health status and track changes in financial status from that point forward. Through a series of multivariate analyses, I will model the characteristics of families that place them at hypothesized risk of financial decline, and estimate the likelihood that a health decline will drive a family into asset poverty. The findings from this dissertation will provide valuable information to policymakers about whether adverse change in health status represents a """"""""tipping point"""""""" to financial decline for working poor or moderate income U.S. families. In addition, by identifying the factors associated with declining financial status in the face of deteriorating health, this dissertation will provide policymakers new information with which to assess the appropriateness and potential effectiveness of specific safety net strategies and policies to ameliorate the situations of families at greatest risk of serious financial decline. ? ? Public Health Relevance: There is ample public health research linking socio-economic status and health, however these studies have focused mostly on income and single points in time. This dissertation investigates the relationship between health declines and wealth over time, with a particular emphasis on low to moderate income families. In doing so, it provides a new contribution to our understanding of how the public health safety net functions and what families are at risk of financial hardship if a member becomes ill. ? ? ?
research linking socio-economic status and health, however these studies have focused mostly on income and single points in time. This dissertation investigates the relationship between health declines and wealth over time, with a particular emphasis on low to moderate income families. In doing so, it provides a new contribution to our understanding of how the public health safety net functions and what families are at risk of financial hardship if a member becomes ill.
