CHIA Publishes Brief Studying Unmet Health-Related Social Needs in Massachusetts Residents

Using the 2019 Massachusetts Health Insurance Survey (MHIS) follow-up study, this research brief presents rates of unmet health-related social needs (HRSNs) overall and among population subgroups defined by family income, race/ethnicity, and family type. Unmet HRSNs are associated with poorer health, compromised health care access, and higher health care costs. Survey respondents who reported food insecurity, housing instability, financial strain, and/or employment instability in their families were considered to have an unmet HRSN.

This research brief addresses an important gap in our understanding of unmet HRSNs for Massachusetts residents by providing much needed data for key population subgroups in the Commonwealth. This brief is CHIA's first step to document the burden of unmet HRSNs in Massachusetts and better understand how they are experienced by residents and their families.

For more information on the MHIS, please visit https://www.chiamass.gov/massachusetts-health-insurance-survey/.