Gender differences in health care access and use among Cambodian Americans

This study examined the health status and use of health care services by Cambodian Americans in Long Beach, California. A stratified random sample of respondents (n = 680: males = 285, females = 395) was obtained from census tracts with high concentrations of Cambodian Americans. A cross-sectional survey collected data on demographic characteristics, insurance status, and use of health services. The mean age of respondents was 48.6 years and not significantly different between males and females. The percentage of persons who needed to visit a doctor but could not because of cost was 43.0%. The percentage of persons who did not have any kind of health insurance was 19.5% (males = 25.0%, females = 15.4%; p = 0.002). The percentage of persons who reported that they lacked a personal doctor they could visit when ill was 11.7% (males = 16.7%, females = 8.0%; p = 0.001). The percentage of persons who stated they had never visited a doctor for a routine checkup was 5.9% (males = 8.1%, females = 4.3%; p = 0.041). The relationship between gender and access to the foregoing types of health care services was significant. We concluded that more males in comparison with females did not have any kind of health insurance, lacked a personal doctor, and had not visited a doctor for routine checkup.