Faculty Articles

Healthcare Disparities in Hispanic Diabetes Care: A Propensity Score-Matched Study.

Publication Title

Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health

Publisher

Springer

ISSN

1557-1920

Publication Date

9-26-2017

Keywords

adolescent, adult, aged, cross-sectional studies, diabetes mellitus, ethnic groups, female, health expenditures, health services, healthcare disparities, Hispanic Americans, humans, insurance coverage, insurance, health, male, middle aged, minority groups, propensity score, socioeconomic factors, United States, young adult

Abstract

Hispanics represent the largest minority group in the US. Research has shown that the ethnic minority especially Hispanics have a disproportionate burden of illness associated with diabetes mellitus. However, many have been focused on small sample sizes with potential selection bias. This study aims to examine the ethnicity disparity in health care utilization and expenditures between Hispanic and non-Hispanics after controlling for confounding variables. Cross-sectional with propensity score-matched design. The study revealed that Hispanics with diabetes had higher poverty rates, lower education, less physical activity, and less health care utilization/expenditures than did non-Hispanics. The assessment of ethnicity differences in health care is challenging because of the potential biases that require careful adjustment. This study successfully identified and controlled for confounding bias and concluded the Hispanics disparity in health care utilization still exists.

DOI

10.1007/s10903-016-0505-0

Volume

19

Issue

5

First Page

1001

Last Page

1008

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences | Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Link to Full Text
Peer Reviewed

Find in your library

Share

COinS