Health Care Access and Utilization by Nepalese Adults in Connecticut

Introduction Access to healthcare and the utilization of health services at both the state and national levels are frequent areas of study, specifically in major ethnic populations such as White, Black, and Hispanic/Latino. However, there are few studies assessing healthcare access and utilization in the Nepalese communities in the United States (U.S.), despite the rapidly growing population of Nepalese immigrants. Methods To explore this issue, we conducted a questionnaire-based survey of Nepalese adults in Connecticut (CT). Results When compared to the reporting of the general CT population, a greater percentage of this survey's respondents report having trouble accessing necessary care (21.1% vs 11.0% in CT). Despite this, more Nepalese adults report satisfaction with the provider in terms of time spent during the visit (81.8% vs 76.0% in CT) and a consideration of values and beliefs during treatment (86.2% vs 70.0% in CT). In comparison with previous national reporting of the general U.S. population, Nepalese adults in the survey tend to have fewer total health care visits annually (87.1% reporting between zero and three visits vs. 64.7% in the U.S.). They also reported fewer dental visits (60.6% vs 71.0% in the U.S.). Conclusion While this novel study is one of the few examining health in the Nepalese population in the U.S., it serves as a foundation for future research in this area. Additionally, the results of the study highlight important disparities that local Nepalese organizations can use to design initiatives to improve this population's health.