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Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Health and Health Care among U.S. Adolescents
Author(s) -
Lau May,
Lin Hua,
Flores Glenn
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
health services research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.706
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1475-6773
pISSN - 0017-9124
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-6773.2012.01394.x
Subject(s) - ethnic group , medicine , health equity , health care , overweight , race and health , psychological intervention , gerontology , specialty , family medicine , adolescent health , obesity , public health , nursing , sociology , economics , economic growth , anthropology
Objective To examine racial/ethnic disparities in medical and oral health status, access to care, and use of services in U.S. adolescents. Data Source Secondary data analysis of the 2003 N ational S urvey of C hildren's H ealth. The survey focus was children 0–17 years old. Study Design Bivariate and multivariable analyses were conducted for white, A frican A merican, L atino, A sian/ P acific I slander, A merican I ndian/ A laskan N ative, and multiracial adolescents 10–17 years old ( n = 48,742) to identify disparities in 40 measures of health and health care. Principal Findings Certain disparities were especially marked for specific racial/ethnic groups and multiracial youth. These disparities included suboptimal health status and lack of a personal doctor or nurse for L atinos; suboptimal oral health and not receiving all needed medications in the past year for A frican A mericans; no physician visit or mental health care in the past year for A sian/ P acific I slanders; overweight/obesity, uninsurance, problems getting specialty care, and no routine preventive visit in the past year for A merican I ndian/ A laska N atives; and not receiving all needed dental care in multiracial youth. Conclusions U.S. adolescents experience many racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care. These findings indicate a need for ongoing identification and monitoring of and interventions for disparities for all five major racial/ethnic groups and multiracial adolescents.