Abstract

Objectives: Few research studies have analyzed college students' attitudes of health reform caused by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Specifically, no studies exist looking at undergraduate and graduate social work students' views on current health reform. The study will ask two questions: (1) What do Social Work students know about the components and potential impacts of the ACA, and (2) Are there any characteristics of students associated with their level of knowledge or attitudes about the Act? Methods: A 53-item survey questionnaire inquiring knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions related to health reform and the Affordable Care Act was dispersed to a convenience sample of 105 undergraduate and graduate social work students from the University of Central Florida School of Social Work in January-February 2014. Results: Students had favorable views on how the health reform will be funded and how health reform could support specific social issues such as acknowledging the need for reform and believing health care should be a basic right. There were fewer clear trends in students' attitudes about reform implementation and knowledge of specific ACA provisions. There were no significant associations between student's knowledge of the ACA and their insurance status or political affiliation. Conclusions: Students' beliefs on health reform are inconsistent. Ethnicity was the only demographic characteristic that affected students' views. This study advocates the need for more in-depth health policy education within the social work program curriculum.

Notes

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Thesis Completion

2014

Semester

Summer

Advisor

Burg, Mary Ann

Degree

Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.)

College

College of Health and Public Affairs

Department

Social Work

Subjects

Dissertations, Academic -- Health and Public Affairs; Health and Public Affairs -- Dissertations, Academic

Format

PDF

Identifier

CFH0004649

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Document Type

Honors in the Major Thesis

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Included in

Social Work Commons

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