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

Abstract #66736

Nadereh Pourat, PhD, Armine Lulejian, MPH, Steven P. Wallace, PhD, E. Richard Brown, PhD, and Lida Becerra, MS. UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, 10911 Weyburn Avenue Suite 300, Los Angeles, CA 90024-2887

This study examined whether immigrant children and children of immigrant families use of health care differs from U.S. born children and to identify reasons for any potential differences. Data from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), a survey of over 55,000 households in California in 2001, was used. A cross-section of 12,500 children, 11 years of age and younger, residing in California was included in the sample. CHIS response rate was 40%. Dependent variables included usual source of care, hospitalization, emergency room visits, and number of physician and dentist office visits in the last year. The primary independent variable was immigration status of children and their parents. All children were separated into the following categories: U.S. born children of U.S. born parents; U.S. born children of documented immigrant parents; U.S. born children of families with at least one undocumented parent; documented immigrant children of immigrant documented parents; and undocumented children. Documented individuals included those who reported to be green card holders and U.S. born or naturalized citizens. Undocumented status was assigned using the country of origin and years living in the US based on models developed by the Urban Institute on the probability of being undocumented. The probability of emergency room use and hospitalization was estimated using logistic regression models. The probability of having additional office visits was estimated using a Poisson regression model. All models controlled for confounding factors such as self-assessed health status, age, race and ethnicity, gender, poverty level, insurance, region of residence, delays in getting care, having a usual source of care, English fluency, and linguistic isolation. Preliminary analyses show that U.S. born children of U.S. born parents have better health status compared to children of immigrant parents or immigrant children. More U.S. born children of U.S. born parents or immigrant parents had a usual place to go when sick or need health advice compared to immigrant or undocumented children. Comparably, emergency room visits were less likely for U.S. born children of documented immigrant parents and U.S. born children of undocumented immigrant parents than U.S. born children of U.S. born parents. Probabilities of being hospitalized did not vary by immigration status of children or their parents. There is some evidence to support the argument that immigrations status of children and/or parents may have an impact on health care use of children. This impact is noted even when the child is U.S. born but has immigrant parents.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Identify use of medical services by immigrant children.
• 2. Recognize disparities of health care and access of immigrant children compared to U.S. born children.

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.