title: Reducing disparities in access to primary care and patient satisfaction with care: the role of health centers.
abstract: This paper examined disparities in access to and satisfaction with primary care among patients of different racial/ethnic groups and insurance coverage, in health centers and the nation overall. Data came from the 2009 Health Center Patient Survey and 2009 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Study outcomes included usual source of care, type of usual source of care, satisfaction with provider office hours, and satisfaction with overall care. Health center patients were more racially and ethnically diverse than national patients, and health center patients were more likely than national patients to be uninsured or publicly insured. No significant health care disparities in access to care existed among patients from different racial/ethnic and insurance groups among health centers, unlike low-income patients nationwide or the U.S. population in general. Additional focus on the uninsured, in health centers and other health care settings nationwide, is needed to enhance satisfaction with care among these patients.
authors: Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, in Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA. lshi@jhsph.edu
authors: Leiyu
authors: L
authors: Shi
authors: Lydie A
authors: LA
authors: Lebrun-Harris
authors: Charles A
authors: CA
authors: Daly
authors: Ravi
authors: R
authors: Sharma
authors: Alek
authors: A
authors: Sripipatana
authors: A Seiji
authors: AS
authors: Hayashi
authors: Quyen
authors: Q
authors: Ngo-Metzger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult