Analysis of the Determinants of Health Outcomes among Louisiana’s Residents: A Test of the Precede-Proceed Theoretical Framework

The purpose of this study is to analyze the determinants of health outcomes among residents of the State of Louisiana following the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) between 2011 and 2021 by applying the behavioral change approach’s PRECEDE-PROCEED Model as well as using secondary sources of data to inform public policy. The study has made use of two dependent variables (i.e. mortality and morbidity), and the following independent variables such as Health behaviors, Clinical care, coupled with Social and economic factors, and Physical Environment, while lack of access to health insurance and access to primary care physician were treated as control variables. The study revealed that for every 1% increase in bad health behaviors among residents of Louisiana, morbidity rate increases by 98.7%, while mortality rate increases by 59.7%. The study has further revealed that for every 1% increase in the percentage of uninsured adults among the population of Louisiana, the State’s mortality rate is likely to increase by 0.402 or 40.2%. Furthermore, the study revealed that, for every 1% increase in the access to primary care physician among the population of Louisiana, the State’s mortality rate, and morbidity rate are likely to decrease by -0.426 or 42.6%, and -0.602 or 60.2%, respectively. The study recommends that government and policy makers should enforce all existing laws and policies toward protecting quality physical environment for air, natural resources, and the water bodies—rivers, oceans, etc. to save the lives of the people. All regulations on pollution should be intensified. Lastly, the creation of more infrastructure by policymakers, and all stakeholders will go a long way to help bridge the social & economic gap in the State of Louisiana. Keywords: Clinical care, Healthcare, Precede-Proceed, Morbidity, Mortality, Insurance, Physicians, Primary care, Behaviors, Environment, and Health DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/12-6-06 Publication date:August 31st 202