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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Kwame Asamoa, MD, MSc1, Maria Rodriguez, Md, MPH2, Rosa Varela, MD2, Gerry Sotomayor, MD3, Venus Gines3, Kenneth Dominguez, MD, MPH4, Consuelo Beck-Sague, MD1, and Gerry Mills, PhD2. (1) Division of Reproductive Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway NE, Atlanta, GA 30341, 770-488-6347, kasamoa@cdc.gov, (2) Florida International University, 2801 NE, 183 St., #1611 W, Aventura, FL 33160, (3) Dia de la mujer Latina, 2181 Northlake Pkwy, Suite 120, Tucker, GA 30084, (4) Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, NCHSTP, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, MS E-45, 1600 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30333
Background: The Hispanic community in the U.S. increased by 58% between 1990 and 2000. Georgia’s Hispanic population grew by 300% and Florida’s by 70.4% during this time. Hispanic immigrants have higher rates of fertility, maternal death and cervical cancer death than United States-born whites. This study was undertaken to learn Hispanic immigrants’ access to and use of preventive healthcare services in Georgia and Florida. Methods: Anonymous survey was conducted among a convenience sample of Spanish-speaking immigrants at regularly scheduled health fairs. Prevalence of low access to and use of preventive healthcare services was estimated and its risk factors identified. Results: We surveyed 362 participants, (136 in Georgia, 225 in Florida), aged 18-84 years (median=40). Women formed 81.7% of participants. Most participants (83.6%) believed Hispanic community had inadequate medical services, yet 41.4% reported health insurance. Women were less likely than men to be insured (proportion ratio [PR]=0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.54-0.94). One-sixth of respondents had been denied medical services. Insured women were more likely than uninsured women to report having had a Pap smear (PR=1.27;CI=1,16-1.41) or mammogram (PR=1.57;CI=1.60-2.66). However, insured women were less likely to report family planning visits (PR=0.41; 95% CI=0.22-0.98). Among women ever pregnant in America, 53.3% received no prenatal care. Georgia Hispanics were younger and less likely to report insurance or Pap smear testing than Florida Hispanics. Conclusions: Insurance coverage was a factor for use of all preventive health services by Hispanics in Georgia and Florida except family planning service. There is need to provide appropriate and culturally acceptable health care services for Hispanics.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Hispanic, Immigrants
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.