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The Impact of Patient-Provider Race/Ethnicity Concordance on Provider Visits: Updated Evidence from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey

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Abstract

Objective

To examine the association between race/ethnicity concordance and in-person provider visits following the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

Design

Using 2014–2015 data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, we examine whether having a provider of the same race or ethnicity (“race/ethnicity concordance”) affects the probability that an individual will visit a provider. Multivariate probit models are estimated to adjust for demographic, socioeconomic, and health factors.

Results

Race/ethnicity concordance significantly increases the likelihood of seeking preventative care for Hispanic, African-American, and Asian patients relative to White patients (coef = 1.46, P < 0.001; coef = 0.71, P = 0.09; coef = 1.70, P < 0.001, respectively). Race/ethnicity concordance also increases the likelihood that Hispanic and Asian patients visit their provider for new health problems (coef = 2.14, P < 0.001 and coef = 1.49, P < 0.05, respectively). We find that race/ethnicity concordance is also associated with an increase in the likelihood that Hispanic and Asian patients continue to visit their provider for ongoing medical problems (Hispanic coef = 1.06, P < 0.001; Asian coef = 1.24, P < 0.05).

Conclusions

There is an association between race/ethnicity concordance and the likelihood of patients visiting their provider. Our results demonstrate that racial disparities in health care utilization may be partially explained by race/ethnicity concordance.

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Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable written request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Economics, University of San Diego School of Business, 5998 Alcalá Park, San Diego, CA, 92110, USA

    Alyson Ma & Alison Sanchez

  2. Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA

    Mindy Ma

Authors
  1. Alyson Ma
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  2. Alison Sanchez
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Correspondence to Alison Sanchez.

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Ma, A., Sanchez, A. & Ma, M. The Impact of Patient-Provider Race/Ethnicity Concordance on Provider Visits: Updated Evidence from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. J. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities 6, 1011–1020 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-019-00602-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-019-00602-y

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