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Routine Physical Examination and Forgone Health Care among Latino Adolescent Immigrants in the United States

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Abstract

Knowledge concerning patterns of health care utilization among Latino-adolescent immigrants is needed to develop culturally-appropriate programs. The objectives of this study were to estimate the annual prevalence of having had a routine physical exam and episodes of adolescents’ not seeking health care when they thought they should (forgone health care) among Latino adolescents by immigrant-generational status. Cross-sectional analysis of data from Latino adolescents in Wave I of the National Longitudinal Adolescent Health Study. First-generation immigrants who had lived in the U.S. ≤ 5 years were less likely to receive routine care than third-generation immigrants (39.0% vs. 54.9%). This disparity decreased after adjustment for insurance status, parental education and poverty among Mexican origin adolescents. On average, 16.0% of first-generation immigrants who had lived in the U.S. ≤ 5 years and 22.5% of third-generation immigrants reported forgoing health care. After adjustment for age, insurance status, parental education and routine care, recent arrivals were less likely than third-generation immigrants to forgo health care. Recent arrivals were less likely to receive a routine physical exam and to forgo care than third-generation immigrants. Future studies should explore the effect of acculturation on knowledge, beliefs and perceptions about health, illness and care-seeking behaviors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, CB#7435, 2105F McGavran Greenberg Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7435

    Olga L. Sarmiento, William C. Miller MD, PhD, MPH, Victor J. Schoenbach & Adaora A. Adimora

  2. Departments of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC

    Claire I. Viadro

  3. Departments of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC

    Chirayath M. Suchindran

  4. School of Public Health and the Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC

    William C. Miller MD, PhD, MPH, Carol A. Ford & Adaora A. Adimora

  5. School of Public Health and the Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC

    Carol A. Ford

Authors
  1. Olga L. Sarmiento
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  2. William C. Miller MD, PhD, MPH
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  3. Carol A. Ford
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  4. Victor J. Schoenbach
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  5. Adaora A. Adimora
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  6. Claire I. Viadro
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  7. Chirayath M. Suchindran
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Correspondence to William C. Miller MD, PhD, MPH.

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Sarmiento, O.L., Miller, W.C., Ford, C.A. et al. Routine Physical Examination and Forgone Health Care among Latino Adolescent Immigrants in the United States. J Immigrant Health 7, 305–316 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-005-5128-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-005-5128-9

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