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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Dennis T. Kao, MSW, School of Social Work, University of Southern California, 669 W. 34th Street, Montgomery Ross Fisher Building - MRF, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0411, 310-719-9612, denniska@usc.edu

This study examines the varying effects of demographic, socioeconomic, and immigration-related determinants of health insurance coverage for certain Asian American ethnic groups. Asian Americans represent the fastest growing minority group in the nation, having grown tenfold since the 1960s. Despite this tremendous growth, relatively little is known about the determinants of health insurance as they affect the diverse Asian American population – which has remained largely “invisible” in health- and social work-related research and consequently, national and state policy development. Using data from the 2003 California Health Interview Survey, this study seeks to answer the research question: What factors contribute to differences in uninsurance rates among Asian American subgroups (and do these factors differ across the groups)? Specifically, this study employs descriptive statistics and logistic regression modeling to explore the factors contributing to significant differences in uninsurance rates among Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese adults aged 18 to 64.

Preliminary results show that important differences in the predictors of uninsurance exist among the three groups. For example, being foreign-born emerged as a statistically significant predictor for Chinese adults, but not for Korean and Vietnamese adults. In addition, the findings suggest that these factors also differ in terms of their marginal effects. For low-income Korean households, the probability of being uninsured increases by an average of 35% (relative to higher-income households), compared to an average increase of only 10% for Chinese household members. Finally, self-employment appears as an important predictor for all three groups. The policy implications of these findings are discussed.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Recognize key demographic, socieconomic, and immigration-related factors contributing to differences in health insurance coverage among specific Asian American subgroups.
• Identify how these factors may differ across the groups analyzed in this study.

Keywords: Asian Americans, Health Insurance

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

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