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The Effects of Race and Other Socioeconomic Factors on Health Service Use Among American Military Veterans

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Abstract

This study examined the extent to which racial disparities in service utilization exist in veterans (VA) and non-VA health care systems. An observational study design was used with a nationally representative sample of veterans. Logistic regression models were constructed using sociodemographic characteristics, health insurance and benefits, and health status as predictors of health service use in both VA and non-VA health care systems. A population weighted sample of 19,270 veterans from the 2001 National Survey of Veterans was used, which included 17,004 (88.24 %) White, 1,864 (9.15 %) African American, 414 (2.15 %) Native American/Alaskan Native, and 87 (0.45 %) Asian American/Pacific Islander veterans. Results showed that use of the VA health care system was not associated with race, but was associated with VA disability compensation, lack of private health insurance, and greater health care need. Contrarily, in non-VA healthcare systems, veterans who were racial minorities, less educated, and without private health insurance were less likely to use services. Together, these findings demonstrate the socioeconomic context in which health disparities exist and suggest the influence of health insurance on racial disparities in service utilization.

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Acknowledgments

Data were provided by the United States Office of Policy, Planning, and Preparedness. The work was supported by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Office of Research and Development. The views presented here are those of the authors and do not represent the position of any federal agency or of the United States Government.

Conflict of interest

All authors declare no conflict of interest.

Disclosures

None of the authors have any conflicts of interest to declare. The work was supported by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Office of Research and Development. The views presented here are those of the authors and do not represent the position of any federal agency or of the United States Government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Veterans Affairs New England Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, 950 Campbell Ave., 151D, West Haven, CT, USA

    Jack Tsai & Miraj U. Desai

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06516, USA

    Jack Tsai & Miraj U. Desai

  3. Veterans Affairs Pain Research, Informatics, Medical Comorbidities and Education Center, West Haven, CT, USA

    Jack Tsai

  4. Department of Psychology, University of Hartford, Hartford, CT, USA

    Alice W. Cheng

  5. Department of Psychology, Trinity College, Hartford, CT, USA

    Janet Chang

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  1. Jack Tsai
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  2. Miraj U. Desai
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  4. Janet Chang
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Correspondence to Jack Tsai.

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Tsai, J., Desai, M.U., Cheng, A.W. et al. The Effects of Race and Other Socioeconomic Factors on Health Service Use Among American Military Veterans. Psychiatr Q 85, 35–47 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-013-9268-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-013-9268-0

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