People Seeking Care In Safety-Net Clinics Have A High Rate Of Chronic Diseases In Middle Age

People seeking care in safety-net clinics—clinics that serve individuals and families experiencing health disparities due to income level, race and/or ethnicity, geography and other social, economic, and environmental factors—are at higher risk for chronic disease in middle-age.

A recent review of health data for over 700,000 adults in 26 states reveal that before using a safety-net clinic for two or more years, consumers had an average of 1.7 chronic diseases per individual. After a four-year follow-up, the same cohort had an average of 2.6 chronic diseases per individual, underscoring . . .