Health Service Use among Women: Differences by Nativity and Ethnicity

Hillary J Patuwo, Rice University

The present study will examine differences in the utilization of health services between foreign born and U.S. born women using data from the 1997–2004 U.S. National Health Interview Survey. These data permit us to focus on differences in women’s access to health services as well as in the frequency and types of services used. They also offer us sufficient sample sizes to sustain separate analyses of women from particular nations, including Mexico, China, and the Philippines. Preliminary examination reveals differences by nativity and by national origin among foreign born women. Using logistic and multinominal regression modeling, we will examine whether these differences remain net of other factors likely to affect patterns of utilization, such as age, current residence, and length of U.S. residence. In addition, to the extent possible, we will also examine the degree to which historical experience, socioeconomic status, and cultural factors account for the observed differences.