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Family health care decision making

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Abstract

How do families choose a health plan when offered the option of insurance or a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)? Choices are influenced by health consumerism, decision variables, family health needs, family composition, family socioeconomic status, and knowledge about HMOs. Subjects in the research reported here chose insurance or one of four HMOs; control subjects had no HMOs available. The model is estimated with LOGIT regression, yielding a pseudoR 2 of.22 for the adjusted model. Participation in the decision process, number of chronic illnesses, and knowledge about HMOs all are significantly and positively associated with choosing an HMO; also, young adults are more likely than older adults to choose HMOs. The consumerism variable fails to attain significance. LOGIT analysis of the adjusted model indicates that the model predicted 72% of plan choices correctly. Suggested research for other family forms, for the poor, and for the elderly's health plan choices are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Family, Child, and Consumer Sciences section of the School of Human Ecology, Louisiana State University, and the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, 70803, Baton Rouge, LA

    Pamela A. Monroe (Assistant Professor)

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  1. Pamela A. Monroe
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Additional information

This research was approved for publication by the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station as manuscript no. 91-25-5235.

Appreciation is expressed to James C. Garand for his assistance with data analysis; to Dian Seyler for her assistance with typing and editing the manuscript; and to Lynda Henley Walters and James Walters for their comments on an earlier draft.

Her research interests include family policy and work-family issues. She received her Ph.D from the Department of Child and Family Development at the University of Georgia.

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Monroe, P.A. Family health care decision making. J Fam Econ Iss 14, 7–25 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01013427

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