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

Abstract #64785

Gloria Wheatcroft, MPH, Office of Analysis, Epidemiology and Health Promotion, ATPM Research Fellow, CDC-National Center for Health Statistics, 3311 Toledo Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782, 301-458-4253, gkw2@cdc.gov, Jennifer D. Parker, PhD, Population Epidemiology Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, 3311 Toledo Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782, and Elsie R. Pamuk, PhD, Office of Analysis, Epidemiology and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, P.O. Box 1655, Eastsound, WA 98245.

An important objective of Healthy People 2010 is the elimination of racial/ethnic disparities in access to quality health care. One of the most significant barriers to receiving quality health care is the lack of health insurance coverage. In addition, research has shown that lack of insurance coverage is associated with a decreased use of health services and poor self-rated health. Latinos are more likely to be uninsured than any other group. Previous research has examined SES and demographic explanations behind this trend for the Latino population as a whole, ignoring the diversity that exists within this group. Using the 1998-2001 National Health Interview Surveys, we examined the determinants of health insurance coverage among Latino subgroups. We focus on four sets of explanatory variables: SES, citizenship, employment and demographic variables. We then simulated counterfactual insurance coverage rates by applying the individual characteristics of whites to each of the Latino subpopulations. Only one characteristic was altered at a time in an effort to isolate the differential effects of each set of variables. The simulations produced substantial variation across the subgroups. Adjustments for income accounted for 85% reduction of the Puerto Rican/White health insurance gap while the Mexican/White disparity and Cuban/White disparity was reduced by only 28% and 22% respectively. Citizenship effects largely explained health insurance disparities for Cubans with a 54% reduction while the Mexican/white disparity was reduced by 15%. Efforts to eliminate insurance disparities among Latinos and Whites should focus solutions accordingly.

Learning Objectives:

1.Identify key issues behind barriers to health insurance coverage for minority groups in the United States.
• Increased knowlege of health disparities that exist for Latino subgroups.

Keywords: Latinos, Health Insurance

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.