The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #57311

James H. Swan, PhD, Department of Public Health Sciences, Wichita State University, 1845 N. Fairmount, Box 152, Wichita, KS 67260-0152, 316 978 5634, jim.swan@wichita.edu, Robert H. Friis, PhD, Health Science Department, California State University, Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90840-4902, Mercedes Guilliaum, PhD, Health Sciences, California State University Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90840, and Lourdes Vazquez, RDH, Dental Hygiene, Wichita State University, 1845 N. Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260.

We consider self-rating of health, physician visits, and the relationship of the latter to the former, among three groups of Hispanic elders: Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Cubans. Data are drawn from the National Survey of Hispanic Elderly Persons. Weighted results for the total sample (n = 1855) show that 13% reported their health as excellent, and only 11% poor. Most (86%) reported physician visits, averaging 7 visits a year. Cubans reported much better health than did Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans. Nevertheless, Mexican Americans were less likely to report any doctor visits, being less than half as likely than were Cubans, and averaged two fewer such visits, while Puerto Ricans averaged two-and-a-half more physician visits than did Cubans. Controlling for functional dependence and demographic factors, the better overall rating of health by Cubans and lower likelihood of physician visits and average number of visits by Mexican-Americans persist. Controlling for health status, the difference between Cubans and Mexican-Americans in physician utilization is even greater. Neither controlling for difficulty in finances and paying medical bills, nor for ability to read English, explains this difference. It appears that Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans have poorer health status than do Cuban Americans but that Mexican Americans are less likely than Cuban Americans to receive physician care, even controlling for finances and language skills. This suggests that additional cultural, geographic, and socioeconomic factors may account for underutilization of physician care, beyond financial problems, language skills, functional dependence, living situation, age, gender, and education.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants should be able to: recognize variations among Hispanic groups in health status and use of physician care; and consider implications of differences in utilization of physician care by different Hispanic groups.

Keywords: Ethnicity, Physicians

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.