The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #39049

Erica Ilene Lubetkin, MD, MPH¹, Haomiao Jia, PhD¹, and Marthe R. Gold, MD, MPH². (1) Department of Community Health and Social Medicine, City University of New York, 138th Street and Convent Avenue, Room A109, New York, NY 10031, (212) 650-7785, lubetkin@scisun.sci.ccny.cuny.edu, (2) Department of Community Health and Social Medicine, City University of New York Medical School, 138th Street and Convent Avenue, New York, NY 10031

BACKGROUND: Although Asians reportedly have a better health status than Whites, the English-speaking Asians surveyed may be of a higher socioeconomic status than the non-English speaking Asian population. METHODS: We surveyed low income Chinese persons aged >18 seen at an inner-city community health center. We assessed participation rates and demographics of participants and non-participants, overall mean scores, and mean scores by specific demographics for two generic measures of health status/HRQL—SF-36 and EuroQol EQ-5D. RESULTS: Of 525 participants, ~90% (469) completed the survey in Chinese. The mean age was 41 and 72% were female; 74% reported a total annual household income <$15,000 and 33% had been in the US < 7 years. Compared with US general population scores, the mean sample SF-36 PCS score was similar while the mean sample SF-36 MCS and EQ visual analogue scale scores were lower. Mean scores decreased with more medical problems reported and a more impaired category of self-reported health. Scores were lowest for persons who reported having depression, anxiety, and/or an emotional problem and this category was a significant predictor of scores in multivariate regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Although the SF-PCS scores were comparable with US general population norms, EQ VAS scores were lower and SF-36 MCS mean scores resembled persons in the lowest 25th percentile in the US or persons with chronic diseases. Providers should explore the health concerns and needs of low income Chinese who, as a group, are at greater risk for mental health problems than the general population yet underutilize existing mental health resources.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to

• Identify particular gaps in the health services literature on the health status/HRQL of Asians-Pacific Islanders;
• Describe the role that measures of health status/HRQL may play with regards to understanding functional status;
• Analyze the possible explanations for differences in mean scores between the low income Chinese sample and the US general population means as well as the impact of depression, anxiety, or an emotional problem on mean scores

Keywords: Low-Income, Survey

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.