The cross-sectional association between state-level public health funding per capita and physical health among adults in the United States.
<h4>Objectives</h4>This study examined the association between state-level public health funding per capita and the odds of poor physical health.<h4>Study design</h4>Cross-sectional.<h4>Methods</h4>Data from the 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRF...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2025-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0320920 |
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| Summary: | <h4>Objectives</h4>This study examined the association between state-level public health funding per capita and the odds of poor physical health.<h4>Study design</h4>Cross-sectional.<h4>Methods</h4>Data from the 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were used. Participants' self-reported physical health was reported using the CDC Healthy Days Core Module. State-level public health funding per capita was obtained from the State Health Access Data Assistance Center website. Multilevel logistic regression was used to adjust for self-reported individual-level characteristics and state-level characteristics from the 2018 American Community Survey. We also tested whether household income or education attainment moderated any observed associations.<h4>Results</h4>A one SD increase in state-level public health funding per capita was not associated with the odds ≥ 14 days of poor physical health (OR = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.90, 1.01). However, heterogeneity across household income was observed. Greater public health funding per capita was associated with lower predicted probabilities of reporting ≥ 14 days of poor physical health among respondents from low household income backgrounds ( <$35,000 USD) compared to participants with high household incomes (>$75,000 USD). No associations were observed among those with moderate ($35,000 - $70,000 USD) household incomes. A similar finding was observed among participants with less than high school education when compared to participants with post-secondary education.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Greater state-level public health funding per capita appears to have a protective association against reporting ≥ 14 days of poor physical health in individuals with lower household incomes and may be helpful in reducing health inequities. Future research is needed to determine whether this association is causal. |
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| ISSN: | 1932-6203 |