Attenuation of Racial Differences in Health Service Utilization Patterns for Previously Uninsured Children in the Delta

Autor/inn/en	Moon, Zola K.; Farmer, Frank L.; Tilford, John M.
Titel	Attenuation of Racial Differences in Health Service Utilization Patterns for Previously Uninsured Children in the Delta
Quelle	In: Journal of Rural Health, 21 (2005) 4, S.288-294 (7 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0890-765X
DOI	10.1111/j.1748-0361.2005.tb00097.x
Schlagwörter	Low Income Groups; Children; Use Studies; Health Services; Health Insurance; Rural Areas; Outreach Programs; Racial Differences; African Americans; Whites; Gender Differences; Age Differences; Transportation; Access to Health Care; Mississippi + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Child; Kind; Kinder; Benutzerschulung; Health service; Gesundheitsdienst; Gesundheitswesen; Krankenversicherung; Rural area; Ländlicher Raum; Jobcoaching; Rassenunterschied; Afroamerikaner; White; Weißer; Geschlechterkonflikt; Age; Difference; Age difference; Altersunterschied; Verkehrswesen
Abstract	Context: A school-based health insurance program for children of the working poor was conducted in 2 isolated, rural communities in the Lower Mississippi Delta region. The larger of the 2 communities had an array of locally available health care providers, whereas the smaller community did not. In response to this lack of available care, the project designed and delivered outreach programs, including transportation to providers. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of race, age, and gender in the relationships between the utilization of care and the impact of outreach programs. Method: General estimating equation models are used to examine the response of utilization variables to race, age, gender, and community. Four years of insurance claims data are analyzed. Findings: Race is seen to be an important component of utilization. The majority of participants were African American; however, children receiving prescription services, emergency room care, routine physician visits, and hospital outpatient services were more likely to be white. Outreach programs in vision and dental services were found to eliminate racial differences and increase utilization. A relatively strong gender effect was found in prescription, wellness, vision, and dental services. Conclusions: Previous research has shown differences by race in utilization of care. Our findings show that targeted outreach programs can significantly diminish these differences. Findings also suggest that barriers to health care for poor rural children are closely linked to transportation and availability of providers, not merely to cost of care or insurance. (Author).
Anmerkungen	Blackwell Publishing. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8599; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: customerservices@blackwellpublishing.com; Web site: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/jnl_default.asp
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10