Research on Aging
Volume 28, Issue 3, 2006, Pages 393-408

Health care use among elderly Mexicans in the United States and Mexico: The role of health insurance (Conference Paper)

Wong R.* , Díaz J.J. , Higgins M.
  • a University of Maryland, United States, Maryland Population Research Center, University of Maryland, 2112 Art-Sociology Building, College Park, MD 20742, United States, University of Maryland Population Research Center, United States
  • b GRADE, Peru, Grupo de Análisis para el Desarrollo (GRADE, Perú), Peru
  • c Princeton University, United States, New Immigrant Survey, Princeton University, United States

Abstract

The authors sought to contribute to public policy on U.S. immigrants by comparing patterns of health care use among the Mexican-origin population aged 70 and older in the United States and Mexico. They studied the role of health insurance in the propensity to have doctor visits and hospitalizations, controlling for aspects of health and the economic and sociodemographic characteristics of individuals. The authors found that the elderly of Mexican origin in the United States were more likely to be hospitalized than those in Mexico, regardless of health insurance. However, in the absence of health insurance, visits to doctors were more likely in Mexico than in the United States. The results indicate that although in both countries, the availability of health insurance is associated with a higher propensity to use any health care services, a lack of health insurance may have more negative consequences for primary health care in the United States than in Mexico. © 2006 Sage Publications.

Author Keywords

Mexico health care aging Immigrant

Index Keywords

hospitalization correlation analysis health insurance human health service controlled study comparative study Aged Mexico United States male female Conference Paper health care utilization major clinical study health care quality health care access geriatric care health care availability
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-33645457400&doi=10.1177%2f0164027505285922&partnerID=40&md5=1e75509587ad34fa3e0a8489d174558d
DOI: 10.1177/0164027505285922
ISSN: 01640275
Cited by: 15
Original Language: English