Marion Danis ^1*, Francis Lovett ², Lindsay Sabik ³, Katherin Adikes ¹, Glen Cheng ⁴, Tom Aomo ⁵

¹ National Institutes of Health
² Washington University
³ Harvard University
⁴ University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - New Jersey Medical School
⁵ Unaffiliated consultant

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mdanis{at}nih.gov.

	Abstract

Objectives. Socioeconomic factors are associated with reduced health status in low-income populations. We sought to identify affordable employment benefit packages that might ameliorate these socioeconomic factors and would be consonant with employees’ priorities.

Methods. Working in groups (n = 53), low-income employees (n = 408; 62% women, 65% Black) from the Washington, DC, and Baltimore, Md, metropolitan area, participated in a computerized exercise in which they expressed their preference for employment benefit packages intended to address socioeconomic determinants of health. The hypothetical costs of these benefits reflected those of the average US benefit package available to low-income employees. Questionnaires ascertained sociodemographic information and attitudes. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were used to examine benefit choices.

Results. Groups chose offered benefits in the following descending rank order: health care, retirement, vacation, disability pay, training, job flexibility, family time, dependent care, monetary advice, anxiety assistance, wellness, housing assistance, and nutrition programs. Participants varied in their personal choices, but 78% expressed willingness to abide by their groups’ choices.

Conclusions. It is possible to design employment benefits aimed at ameliorating socioeconomic determinants of health at the current cost of US low-income benefit packages that are acceptable to low-income employees.

Key Words: Health Policy, Health Promotion, Socioeconomic Factors, Statistics/Evaluation/Research