Men health's and disparities in health self advocacy

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The term “crisis” has been used to characterize the markedly elevated rates of morbidity, disability, and mortality of minority men compared with their White counterparts. Predictors of health promoting behaviors in minority men are little understood. The literature is replete with evidence that those who participate in and self advocate (seek health information and use information to enhance their health) have better health outcomes. This study aimed to identify the factors influencing health information seeking and using that health information in the medical encounter.

STUDY DESIGN: This study used data from the 2000-2001 Household Component of the Community Tracking Survey. We examined the impact of race/ethnicity, health insurance status, health insurance type, perceived health status, marital status, educational status, poverty level, rurality, usual source of care, employment status, and age, on the likelihood of seeking health information and self advocacy (mentioned health information to doctor and doctor ordered tests based on health information presented). Binomial logit models were used to examine the predictors of self advocacy.

POPULATION STUDIED: The study sample included 14527 men ages 18 to 65 with at least 1 physician visit in the previous year.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Compared to White men, Hispanic and African American men were slightly more likely to seek health information (OR 1.05) and (OR 1.13). African American (0R .59) and Hispanic (OR .85) men were less likely to mention health information to a physician during the medical encounter than white men. Among those men who sought health information and mentioned that information to a physician, African American (OR 1.32) and Hispanic men (OR 3.57) were more likely to perceive that tests were ordered based upon health information mentioned to the physician than white men. Marital status, educational level, employment status, age, and health status were significant predictors of seeking health information. Educational level, poverty level, employment status, usual source of care, age, health status, and HMO enrollee were significant predictors of mentioning health information to a doctor. Marital status, poverty level, and HMO enrollee were significant predictors for perceiving test was ordered based on health information.

CONCLUSIONS: Minority men were more likely than white men to seek health information, but they were less likely to mention that information to their doctor. However, minority men were more likely than white men to perceive a test was ordered based on health information presented during the medical encounter.