A Public Health Nursing Model Assists Women Receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Benefits to Identify a Usual Source of Primary Care

Abstract

Women enrolled in Florida's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program experience high rates of chronic health problems and often lack a usual source of care. Thus, in this study, we aimed to identify variables related to being in a usual source of care at time of study enrollment and determine whether a public health nursing case management intervention affected the obtainment of a usual source of care. To achieve these aims, we conducted a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial of a public health nursing case management intervention, which included women with chronic health conditions enrolled in TANF (n = 432). Results indicated 35% of the women did not identify a usual source of care at time of study enrollment, and the public health nursing intervention was effective in helping women obtain a usual source of care (OR = 2.5, 95% CI 1.004-6.491). Thus, a public health nursing case management intervention is an effective way to connect TANF participants to a usual source of care, which may lead to improved health outcomes in this vulnerable population of women.