Oral

The California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) is the nation's largest state health survey and – because of California's diversity – provides a rich population-based sample to explore differences in healthcare access and utilization among many immigrant populations. As such, CHIS presents researchers with a unique opportunity to examine health disparities through multiple lenses, including race/ethnicity, geographic, social, and economic status. Researchers, public health departments, legislators, community organizations and advocacy groups throughout the country rely on CHIS data to inform public policy. This session will highlight research conducted with CHIS 2005 and 2007 data to assess and address health disparities among immigrant groups. Participants will learn how CHIS data can be used to address immigrant health disparities not only for state and local areas in California but throughout the nation.

Session Objectives: 1. Describe insurance and utilization rates of undocumented immigrant populations. 2. Identify the advantages of using the California Health Interview Survey for health data on numerically small population groups. 3. To identify differences in healthcare access and utilization among immigrant groups by lawful permanent residency status, and determine the relative contribution of predisposing, enabling, need, and unobserved factors.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)