Disparate use of health services in minority youth with back pain – MEPS data

Intro/Background: A Healthy People 2010 goal was to eliminate health disparities. Back pain is highly prevalent among youth and the purpose of this study was to explore health utilization patterns among this population and identify disparities by race/ethnicity. Data/Methods: Medical Expenditures Panel Survey (MEPS) data pooled across MEPS Longitudinal Panels 5-through-10 (MEPS Survey Years 2000-2006). Of our total pooled cohort of MEPS respondents with back pain (N=10,753), 6.7% were ages 7-20 (n=718). We conducted exploratory bivariate analyses to examine health service use by race/ethnicity. Results. There were 718 respondents ages 7-20 who reported back pain in the 2000-2006 combined MEPS dataset, 76% (n=549) of whom utilized any ambulatory health services (office-based, outpatient, ER, or Rx). Among this cohort, 36.91% (n=265) were identified as Hispanic, Black or Asian. These individuals were significantly (p<.001) less likely than their peers to utilize any ambulatory health services. For use of MD, or use of ER (yes/no), there was no significant difference between race/ethnicity groups. However, youth identified as Hispanic, Black or Asian were significantly less likely to use prescription medicine for back pain or to see a chiropractor or a physical therapist (p<.05). Discussion: MEPs respondents ages 7-20 identified as Hispanic, Black or Asian were significantly less likely to use health services for back pain than their peers. This presentation will discuss further research controlling for potential confounders such as predisposing, enabling and need factors.