Physician utilization by Hispanic elderly persons: national perspective.
BACKGROUND
The number of elderly Hispanic Americans is projected to more than double by 2010 and account for 16% of all elders by 2050. The complex health needs and diversity of that growing population poses challenges for planning and delivery of health services.


OBJECTIVE
The behavioral model of health services utilization was used to examine predisposing, enabling, and need factors associated with physician use by Hispanic elders and to assess whether Mexican American, Cuban American, and Puerto Rican elders differ in their likelihood of use.


METHODS
Data are from the 1988 National Survey of Hispanic Elderly People, which is a nationally representative sample of Hispanic elders living within telephone exchanges with at least 30% concentration of Hispanics.


METHODS
There were 2,299 completed interviews. Analyses are based on a subsample of 773 Mexican Americans, 714 Cuban Americans, and 368 Puerto Ricans.


METHODS
The dependent variable, physician utilization, was self-reported number of visits in the previous year. It was dichotomized because of skewness. Independent variables include predisposing, enabling, and need factors.


RESULTS
Using hierarchical logistic regression, all three sets of factors contributed to the likelihood of a visit. Enabling factors, especially insurance coverage and adult children, had the greatest impact. Cuban Americans and Puerto Ricans were 2.3 and 2.6 times more likely, respectively, to have seen a physician than were Mexican Americans.


CONCLUSIONS
In seeking to improve access and use of physician services, health care providers and policy makers should consider the role of social and economic factors and national origin group.
Burnette
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Columbia University School of Social Work, New York, NY 10025, USA. jdb5@columbia.edu
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D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States