Correlations between Health Insurance Status and Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease in the Elderly Asian...

Background  Asian Americans are often seen as a model minority; however, the group faces significant cultural, language, and financial barriers to adequate health care access. Assessing health insurance's impact on cardiovascular disease risk factors among older Asian Americans may provide support for further research and intervention development focused on improving insurance enrollment. The authors sought to examine the associations between elevated blood pressure and body mass index and insurance coverage. Methods Individuals attended health fairs held by a student-led organization in Southern California between 2008 and 2011. Age and insurance status were obtained through participant questionnaires. Participants' blood pressure and body mass index were measured. Analyses identified health and insurance associations. Results In total, 53.8% of respondents were 60 years or older. Of these, 30.9% had an elevated blood pressure and 36.6% had an elevated body mass index. Of respondents 60 years or older, 52.0% had health insurance. Both elevated blood pressure (p = 0.04) and body mass index (p = 0.03) were significantly associated with lacking insurance. Conclusions Insured participants were less likely to have elevated blood pressure and body mass index measurements, supporting a positive correlation between having insurance and less risk factors for cardiovascular disease. These findings provide incentives for further research into the importance of health insurance in preventative health care.