Health disparities between immigrant and native dwellers in a low-income neighborhood: It's not all about money

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Ruth (Toni) B. Pickard, PhD¹, David W. Wright, PhD², Pradeep R. Atla, MBBS, MPH, MD³, Giao Pham, MPH⁴, Vinay K. Madur, MBBS⁴, and Doreen K. Ondieki, MPH⁵. (1) Physician Assistant Dept/ HSMCD, Wichita State University, 1845 Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260-0043, (316) 978-5637, rpickard@cox.net, (2) Dept. of Sociology, Wichita State University, 1845 Fairmount Ave., Wichita, KS 67260-0025, (3) Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1770 Grand Concourse, Apt. 12AA, Bronx, NY 10457, (4) MPH, Wichita State University, 1845 Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260-0043, (5) Reno County Health Department, 209 W. Second Ave, Hutchinson, KS 67501

For nearly a decade we have been conducting biennial surveys among urban households in one of the lowest-income and most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in Kansas. During 2005, 141 respondents took part in the latest wave. The race/ethnicity of participants was 25% white, non-Hispanic; 9.7% black, non-Hispanic; 43.5% Hispanic; 16.1% Asian/PI; and 7% other. Intensive, culturally and linguistically sensitive face-to-face interviews were conducted in homes using CBPR methods. All respondents reside within the catchment area of our health education, training and outreach center which provides clinical, parenting, and social programs in response to needs identified in the surveys. Although similar in household income, household size, and employed status, the respondents (equally divided between native-born and immigrants) show important disparities in health status. While the education levels of immigrants were significantly lower, they were less likely to have health insurance, and they were more likely to say they were unable to make ends meet, they reported far fewer health problems than their native neighbors. Asthma among both children and adults in native households was strikingly higher than among immigrant households (19.4% v 3.2%; 24.2% v 1.6%, respectively). Significantly fewer adult immigrants suffered from arthritis, cancer and back problems. Fewer immigrants reported problems with depression, diabetes, and heart disease. Only in the percent reporting kidney disease and current need for dental care did immigrants exceed that of native respondents (6.5% v 3.2%; 63.1% v 54.8%, respectively). This paper will examine a set of demographic, lifestyle and system factors related to the reported discrepancies.

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

Describe key differences between the health status of immigrant and native born survey respondents living in a highly diverse, low-income urban midwestern neighborhood
Identify a set of demographic, lifestyle and system factors related to the health disparities
Describe the culturally and linguistically appropriate methods used to capture data among otherwise little known immigrant groups

Keywords: Health Disparities, Immigrants

Related Web page: www.hop-hokc.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? Yes

Organization Clinical/Research Area Type of Relationship

Healthy Options for Kansas Communities (HOP) Public Health/Community Campus Partner organization Advisory Committee/Board, Consultant, Founder & Exec. Dir, pro bono administration; occasional small admin compensation stipend or professional travel included in grants to organization, Other (please describe) and Speaker's bureau and teaching engagements

Any company-sponsored training? No

Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission? Yes

Have you received salary support, retainer, or other monies to support your position as part of the research/clinical trials? Yes

Have you served as the Principal Investigator) for the research/clinical trials? Yes

Have the results of your research/clinical trials been published? No

Organization	Clinical/Research Area	Type of Relationship
Healthy Options for Kansas Communities (HOP)	Public Health/Community Campus Partner organization	Advisory Committee/Board, Consultant, Founder & Exec. Dir, pro bono administration; occasional small admin compensation stipend or professional travel included in grants to organization, Other (please describe) and Speaker's bureau and teaching engagements

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Recorded presentation

Health and Access to Care Disparities of Adult and Child Immigrants

The 134th Annual Meeting & Exposition (November 4-8, 2006) of APHA

Any company-sponsored training?	No

Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?	Yes
Have you received salary support, retainer, or other monies to support your position as part of the research/clinical trials?	Yes
Have you served as the Principal Investigator) for the research/clinical trials?	Yes
Have the results of your research/clinical trials been published?	No