Cross-border Utilization of Medical Services on the U.S.-Mexico Border (North to South)

Background -- There has been interest in utilization of medical care across borders, especially the US-Mexico border. Few studies document utilization of health care services by border residents. Existing studies generally use convenience sampling methodology.

Objective – Determine the proportion of El Paso residents accessing medical services in Mexico and why they choose services in Mexico.

Method –The survey was conducted in October-November 2007 and utilized a list-assisted, random digit dialed sample of telephone equipped households in El Paso County, Texas. CDC telephone data collection and quality assurance procedures were followed.

Results –2,560 interviews were completed. Twenty-six percent reported accessing health care services in Mexico at least once in the previous two years. Of services utilized, use of pharmacy (22%), was more common than a private doctor (17%) or dentist (17%). Cost was the most common reason given for buying drugs (86%) followed by convenience (76%) and not needing a prescription (55%). 45% asked the pharmacist for drug recommendations. Of those utilizing physician services, “less expensive” (91%), “easier to get an appointment” (84%), and “doctor spoke Spanish” (79%) were common reasons.

Conclusions – Use of medical services in Mexico is not uncommon on the US-Mexico border. Changes in border crossing and customs regulations may make this use of services more difficult. Given the high rate of uninsured in the US, border communities may suffer if regulations change. Policy around use of services in Mexico may be needed that allow for cross-border use. Future studies will assess Mexico-to-US usage.