Utilization of Healthcare Among Asian Origin Groups and Citizenship Status

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Sociology of Health

Background:

• Citizenship status can be a significant barrier to accessing preventive care, particularly for individuals of Asian origin.
• Disparities in healthcare utilization exist among diverse Asian subgroups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate variations in annual healthcare utilization across six distinct Asian origin groups.
• To determine the influence of citizenship status on these healthcare utilization differences.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional analysis of the 2013-2022 California Health Interview Survey data.
• Inclusion of respondents aged 18 and older.
• Weighted multivariable logistic regression examining disaggregated Asian origin groups and citizenship status (U.S.-born, naturalized citizen, non-citizen) against annual healthcare utilization.

Main Results:

• Korean respondents exhibited the lowest prevalence of annual healthcare utilization (76%).
• Non-citizens showed 14% lower odds of annual healthcare utilization compared to U.S.-born individuals.
• Chinese and Korean respondents had significantly lower odds of utilization (27-48%) compared to Hispanic/Latino respondents, especially naturalized citizens and non-citizens.

Conclusions:

• Lower odds of annual healthcare utilization were observed among Chinese and Korean respondents, particularly naturalized citizens and non-citizens.
• The findings underscore the necessity of disaggregating data by specific Asian origin groups.
• Citizenship status is a critical determinant influencing annual healthcare utilization patterns.