 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
LaJeana D. Howie, MPH, Infant & Child Health Studies Branch, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 3311 Toledo Road, Room 6208, Hyattsville, MD 20782, 301-458-4611, LIH7@CDC.GOV, Debra Blackwell, PhD, Division of Health Interview Survey, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 3311 Toledo Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782, and Kenneth C. Schoendorf, MD, MPH, Infant and Child Health Studies Branch, National Center for Health Statistics, 6525 Belcrest Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782.
One-third of Hispanics had no health insurance coverage in 1997, compared with 19% of non-Hispanic black persons and 12% of non-Hispanic white persons. This report examines the correlates of health insurance coverage status among non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and Hispanic children and adults, using data from the 1998-2000 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). The correlates of health insurance coverage status among several Hispanic subgroups, Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, other Latin Americans, and multiple or non-specified Hispanics are also examined, in order to determine if these groups have similar insurance status. Overall, 27% of Hispanic children, 34% of Hispanic men, and 30% of Hispanic women were without health insurance in 1998-2000. Hispanics are much more likely to lack health insurance coverage than non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black persons, even after adjustment for other demographic factors, such as age, health status, family income, and poverty status. Within the various Hispanic subgroups, Mexican-Americans (31% of children, 38% of males, 34% of females) and other Latin Americans (24% of children, 37% of males, 35% of females) were more likely to be uninsured than Puerto Ricans (12% of children, 20% of males, 16% of females) or Cubans (13% of children, 24% of males, 18% of females). The sizable numbers of Hispanic Americans without health insurance pose many potentially serious medical, social, and economic problems for Hispanics as a group, and the United States as a nation.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Health Insurance, Hispanic
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.