Gender Differences in Predictors of Late-Life Health Insurance Knowledge

Abstract

For many older adults having access to affordable health care is a major concern. The present study's goal was to examine what factors were related to individuals' knowledge of late-life health insurance. A total of 131 women and 116 men (all aged 55-71) answered questions about private, Medicare, Medigap, and long-term care insurances. In addition, they answered demographic, personality, and health status questions. Results revealed that different factors are related to men's and women's knowledge of late-life health insurance options implying genderspecific educational interventions would be more effective than current educational interventions.

Social Integration and Health Insurance Status Among African American Men and Women

“…Previous research described how a woman's expectations of her husband's future health shapes the couple's health-related social interactions (Pierce, Hong, Franks, & Ketterer, 2002) and how being married increases a man's knowledge of health insurance (Jacobs-Lawson, Schumacher, & Webb, 2007). This coincides with the notion of African American women as "kin keepers" of the family health, advocating for health screening and serving as "point persons" for decisions on health care (K. P. Williams, 2007;K.…”