Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
2019

The Relationship Between Educational Attainment and Health Care Access and Use Among Mexicans, Mexican Americans, and U.S.–Mexico Migrants (Article)

Langellier B.A.* , Martínez-Donate A.P. , Gonzalez-Fagoaga J.E. , Rangel M.G.
  • a Department of Health Management and Policy, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
  • b Department of Community Health and Prevention, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
  • c Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, United States, Mexico Section, U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission, Tijuana, Mexico
  • d Mexico Section, U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission, Tijuana, Mexico, Department of Population Studies, El Colegio de la Frontera Norte, Tijuana, Mexico

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between educational attainment and health care access and use among Mexican-origin populations. Data from the 2012 Mexican National Health and Nutrition Study, the 2013 Project Migrante Health Care Access and Utilization Survey, and the 2013–2014 California Health Interview Survey were used to examine educational gradients in health insurance, medical home, and hospitalization among Mexicans in Mexico, northbound, southbound, and deported migrants, and U.S.-and foreign-born Mexican Americans. College graduates had greater odds of being insured relative to those with less than a high school degree among Mexicans (AOR = 1.48, p < 0.001), northbound migrants (AOR = 3.69, p < 0.001), and the foreign-born (AOR = 2.01, p < 0.01), and of having a medical home among Mexicans (AOR = 1.95, p < 0.001) and the foreign-born (AOR = 2.14, p < 0.05). Eliminating differences by educational attainment in the U.S. will require policy changes like making immigrants eligible for public insurance. In Mexico, it will require targeted outreach to enroll underserved populations in existing public insurance programs. © 2019, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Author Keywords

Health services accessibility Insurance, health Mexican Americans Educational status Healthcare disparities

Index Keywords

California educational status immigrant Mexico mental capacity Mexican American high school Article health care disparity interview college health insurance nutrition human public health health care delivery health care access
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85066897998&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-019-00902-9&partnerID=40&md5=a7d19c7284b772f8b037842a7bfce28b
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-019-00902-9
ISSN: 15571912
Original Language: English