COMPARING HEALTH INSURANCE STATUS OF CONGOLESE AND AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES OF STONE CREEK CHURCH IN CHAMPAIGN-URBANA BY

ii When it comes to health insurance status in the U.S, minorities represent the largest uninsured group due to various factors such as unemployment status, lack of education, and poverty. The last recession has worsened the situation by increasing the number of uninsured across the country (KFF, 2012). Black communities of Champaign County in Illinois are not exempt from this alarming situation. The purpose of this study is to compare the health insurance status of two different minority communities in the Champaign area. The research questions associated with this inquiry are twofold. The first question is: Is there a difference in health insurance status between Congolese and African Americans attending the same church in Urbana, Illinois? This question will examine the trends of health insurance status between these groups. The second question is: Are there barriers associated with the coverage of health insurance among these minority groups? A questionnaire was randomly distributed to participants after church services to ensure that they reported their health insurance status. A sample size of 109 people was obtained (5