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Factors affecting physician visits in Chinese and Chinese immigrant samples
1Californian State University Fresno, Fresno, CA, USA. hmiltiades@csufresno.edu
Social Science & Medicine (1982)
|November 13, 2007
Summary
Chinese elders in the US and Shanghai were studied to understand healthcare access. Immigrant status and cultural beliefs significantly impact physician utilization, highlighting the need for culturally sensitive Western healthcare practices.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Health Services Research
- Sociology of Health and Illness
Background:
- Chinese elders are an understudied population, particularly in the US, where they tend to underutilize healthcare services, correlating with poorer health outcomes.
- Understanding healthcare utilization patterns is crucial for addressing health disparities in aging populations.
- The Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services Use provides a framework for examining factors influencing healthcare access.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine predictors of Western physician utilization among Chinese elders residing in Shanghai and immigrant Chinese elders in the US.
- To determine the impact of immigrant status on healthcare utilization patterns.
- To identify culturally specific factors influencing healthcare choices in elder Chinese populations.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study using survey data from 177 Chinese elders in Boston, US, and 420 Chinese elders in Shanghai.
- Multiple regression analyses were conducted separately for the Boston and Shanghai samples.
- The Andersen's Behavioral Model was applied to analyze predictors of physician visits.
Main Results:
- For Boston's immigrant Chinese elders, insurance status, health status, and social network were significant predictors of physician visits.
- For Shanghai Chinese elders, utilization of Chinese medicine, health status, and marital status predicted physician visits.
- Access to care variables significantly influenced physician utilization for immigrant elders, who utilized a bicultural system of care.
Conclusions:
- Healthcare utilization among Chinese elders is influenced by a complex interplay of demographic, social, and cultural factors.
- Immigrant Chinese elders' access to care is significantly affected by factors such as insurance and social networks.
- Effective healthcare for elder Chinese requires Western physicians to understand and respect alternative healthcare beliefs and practices, promoting a bicultural approach to care.
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