5199.0: Wednesday, November 15, 2000 - 2:50 PM

Abstract #18004

Health Needs among Massachusetts’ Latinos, Blacks, and Asians and Their Use of Public Health Services

Cortes Dharma E, PhD, Mauricio Gaston Institute for Latino Community Development & Public Policy, Boston, MA, 617-361-7536, Albacd@aol.com

Over the past years, Massachusetts has witnessed a steady population growth among the Commonwealth’s racial and ethnic minority groups. In fact, Asians,Latinos and Blacks constitute approximately 15% of the total Massachusetts’ population.Members of these groups present unique health care needs that often are the result of socioeconomic differences and lack of access to adequate health care. This presentation attempts to shed light on the unique and differential health care needs of Massachusetts’ Asians, Latinos, and Blacks. It will also highlight how Latino, Black, White, and Asian Consumers of Medicaid services compare in terms of healthcare services such as: prenatal care, cervical and breast cancer screenings, immunizations, adult preventive care, and use of emergency rooms, among others. In addition to this, data will be examined to determine levels of satisfaction with various dimensions of health care services received under Medicaid. Finally, the presentation will highlight some preliminary findings of the Mas Salud Study, a collaborative venture between the Massachusetts Division of Medical Assistance, Hispanic/Latino researchers at the Mauricio Gaston Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy, and other Latino scholars, health providers, and organizations in the Massachusetts area. This study is documenting the extent to which Massachusetts Hispanic.Latino MassHealth (Medicaid) consumers receive quality health care services using nationally and locally developed benchmarks.

Learning Objectives: N/A

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
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.

The 128th Annual Meeting of APHA