title: Health insurance disparities among immigrants: are some legal immigrants more vulnerable than others?
abstract: This study examined health insurance disparities among recent immigrants. The authors analyzed all working-age adult immigrants between the ages of 18 and 64 using the New Immigrant Survey data collected in 2003.This survey is a cross-sectional interview of recent legal permanent residents on their social, economic, and health status. Respondents were interviewed in English or in their preferred languages. Nearly two-thirds of immigrants were uninsured, in spite of their strong labor force participation. Of the four key classes of immigration--employment based, family sponsored, refugee/asylum program, and diversity program--the diversity program immigrants were least likely to be insured, controlling for a wide array of demographic, human capital, acculturation, and assets-related variables. Strategies to increase health insurance coverage among legal immigrants, especially diversity immigrants, are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, USA. Pandeys@wustl.edu
authors.forename: Shanta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pandey
authors.forename: Njeri
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kagotho
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012923:Social Class; D012947:Social Work / Q000379:methods; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult