Access to health care among Hispanic/Latino children: U.S., 1998-2001

1. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics Access to health care among Hispanic/Latino children:U.S., 1998-2001 by: Gulnur Scott, M.P.A. Hanyu Ni, Ph.D.

2. Background • Access to quality health care is one of the most important determinants of well-being of children • Hispanic/Latinos are more likely to lack access to health care than persons of other racial and ethnic groups • Few studies have provided national estimates of access to health care by ethnic subgroups of Hispanic/Latino children

3. Objectives • To provide recent national estimates of access to health care for subgroups of Hispanic/Latino children • To assess ethnic disparity in access to health care among Hispanic/Latino children

4. Data Source: 1998-2001 National Health Interview Surveys (NHIS) • Nationally representative sample • Household interview • The black and Hispanic/Latino populations are over-sampled

5. Target population : • Hispanic/Latino children aged <18 years • Ethnic subgroups • Mexican, Mexican-American • Central or South American • Puerto Rican • Cuban/Cuban American • Dominican Republic • Multiple Hispanic • Other Latin or Spanish

6. Measures of access to health care • Health insurance coverage • Usual source of health care • Unmet medical needs

7. Health insurance coverage • Lack of health insurance coverage: Not covered by any kind of health insurance or health care plan at the time of the interview • Type of coverage • Private • Public • Medicaid • Medicare • SCHIP

8. Usual source of care • Is there a place that (Sample Child name) usually goes when (he/she) is sick or you need advice about (his/her) health? • What kind of place does (Sample Child name) go to most often?

9. Unmet medical needs • Could not afford • Medical care • Prescription medication • Eye glasses • Dental care • Mental health care or counseling • Delayed care because of cost

10. Statistical analysis • N=14,284 (Hispanic/Latino children) • Weighted to reflect national estimates • SUDAAN software

11. Ethnic subgroups of Hispanic/Latino children : U.S., 1998-2001 Other Hispanic Central or South American Weighted Percent Cuban Mexican Puerto Rican Source: National Health Interview Survey

12. Place of residence among Hispanic/Latino and NH white children : U.S., 1998-2001 Percent Source: National Health Interview Survey

13. Lack of health insurance coverage among Hispanic/Latino children : U.S., 1998-2001 Percent Source: National Health Interview Survey

14. Lack of health insurance coverage by age groups among Hispanic/Latino children: U.S., 1998-2001 Percent Mexican Puerto Cuban Central/ Other Hispanic NH white Rican South Hispanic American Data Source: National Health Interview Survey

15. Lack of health insurance coverage by poverty status among Hispanic/Latino children: U.S., 1998-2001 Percent Mexican Puerto Cuban Central/ Other Hispanic NH white Rican South Hispanic American Data Source: National Health Interview Survey

16. Lack of health insurance coverage by nativity among Hispanic/Latino children: U.S., 1998-2001 Percent Mexican Puerto Cuban Central/ Other Hispanic NH white Rican South Hispanic American Data Source: National Health Interview Survey

17. Public coverage among poor and near poor Hispanic/Latino children: U.S., 1998-2001 Percent Source: National Health Interview Survey

18. Having a usual source of care among Hispanic/Latino children: U.S., 1998-2001 Percent Source: National Health Interview Survey

19. Having a usual source of care by poverty status among Hispanic/Latino children: U. S., 1998-2001 Percent Mexican Puerto Cuban Central/ Other Hispanic NH white Rican South Hispanic American Data Source: National Health Interview Survey

20. Having a usual source of care by nativity among Hispanic/Latino children: U. S., 1998-2001 Percent Mexican Puerto Cuban Central/ Other Hispanic NH white Rican South Hispanic American Data Source: National Health Interview Survey

21. Emergency department Clinicor health care Dr. office Usual source of care: U. S., 1998-2001 Hispanic/Latino Non-Hispanic white Other Data Source: National Health Interview Survey

22. Emergency department Clinic or health care Dr. office Doesn’t get routine preventive care Place of routine or preventive care: U.S., 1998-2001 Hispanic/Latino Non-Hispanic white Other Data Source: National Health Interview Survey

23. Unmet medical needs among Hispanic/Latino children: U.S., 1998-2001 Percent Source: National Health Interview Survey

24. Unmet medical needs by nativity among Hispanic/Latino children: U.S., 1998-2001 Percent Mexican Puerto Cuban Central/ Other Hispanic NH white Rican South Hispanic American Data Source: National Health Interview Survey

25. More than 6 months Never 6 months or less Length of time since last contact: U.S., 1998-2001 Hispanic/Latino Non-Hispanic white More than 1 year Data Source: National Health Interview Survey

26. Summary • Poor and near poor Hispanic/Latino children were more likely than poor and near poor NH white children to be covered by a public plan • Among poor and near poor Hispanic/Latino children, Mexican children were least likely to be covered by a public plan

27. Summary – cont. • Foreign-born Hispanic/Latino children were three times as likely as US-born Hispanic/Latino children to lack health insurance coverage • Among the foreign-born ethnic subgroups, Mexican children were most likely to lack health insurance coverage

28. Summary – cont. • Hispanic/Latino children were less likely than NH white children to have a usual place to go for medical care • The percent of children who had a usual place to go for medical care was lowest among Mexican children

29. Summary – cont. • The percent of children experiencing an unmet medical need due to cost was higher for foreign-born Hispanic/Latino children than for U.S.-born Hispanic/Latino children

30. Conclusion • There is an ethnic disparity in access to health care among Hispanic/Latino children • Mexican children were most likely to lack access to health care

31. Survey Planning and Development Branch For information please contact: www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm