Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2025
Advisor
Jeannette Manger
Abstract
Background: Although it has been shown that low socioeconomic status (SES) negatively impacts many health outcomes, very little is known about this relationship in the second largest U.S. state, Texas. Over the past decade, Texas has experienced crises such as Hurricane Harvey, the COVID 19 pandemic, and other environmental disasters that have worsened disparities in health and financial stability. With the highest uninsured rate in the nation and a rapidly growing Hispanic population, understanding financial health disparities is important in influencing public policy and resource allocation.
Objective: By analyzing The University of Wisconsin’s Public Health Institute County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (CHR&R) data set, this study analyzes the critical relationship between socioeconomic status and overall health in Texas in the years 2016 and 2023.
Methods: Data analysis of CHR&R was completed using SPSS software to look for any correlation between several social determinants of health, health outcomes, and median household income.
Results: The findings of this study highlight the significant relationship between socioeconomic status and overall health outcomes at the population level in the state of Texas in the years 2016 and 2023. Financial stability represented by an individual’s disposable income emerged as a critical determinant of various aspects of one’s quality of life, including physical, mental, and psychosocial health.
Wrap Up: The findings of this study should promote the development and expansion of current socioeconomic programs in Texas. Initiatives that aim to address the correlations mentioned could help much of the population to afford necessary healthcare services and improve health outcomes.
Repository Citation
Timperman, D., Islam, N., & Suresh, A. (2025). Texans in Transition: Exploring Socioeconomic Effects on Health from 2016 to 2023. Wright State University. Dayton, Ohio.
