The current study investigated the effects of immigration status, acculturation, and health beliefs on the use of preventive and non-preventive visits, through use of a nationally representative sample of U.S.-born and foreign-born adults. U.S.-born adults were found to have significantly more preventive and non-preventive visits than immigrants. The effects on predicting preventive visits of education, having a usual source of care, and having other public insurance were stronger among immigrants than among the U.S.-born. Health confidence and believing in the need for health insurance significantly predicted the numbers of both preventive and non-preventive visits among the U.S.-born but correlated little with either type of visit among immigrants. Among immigrant adults, acculturation affected only the number of preventive visits. The lower utilization of both preventive and non-preventive care among immigrants may be associated with a combination of better health and more limited enabling resources.

Immigrants' health Physician visits Preventive services disparities

insurance Preventive Health Services health insurance Continental Population Groups human Insurance Coverage middle aged statistics language Insurance, Health United States Humans male Emigrants and Immigrants Acculturation Socioeconomic Factors female preventive health service socioeconomics cultural factor race Article adult migration ambulatory care patient attitude Utilization Review Office Visits Patient Acceptance of Health Care