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Nguyen KH, Oronce CIA, Adia AC, Yeh JC, Ponce N. Inability to Access Needed Medical Care Among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Medicaid Enrollees. J Ambul Care Manage 2024; 47:96-103. [PMID: 38335049 PMCID: PMC10940179 DOI: 10.1097/jac.0000000000000489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
We examined self-reported inability to access to needed medical care and reasons for not accessing medical care among US-representative adult Medicaid enrollees, disaggregated across 10 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander ethnic groups. Chinese (-4.54 percentage points [PP], P < .001), Other Asian (-4.42 PP, P < .001), and Native Hawaiian (-4.36 PP, P < .001) enrollees were significantly less likely to report being unable to access needed medical care compared with non-Hispanic White enrollees. The most common reason reported was that a health plan would not approve, cover, or pay for care. Mitigating inequities may require different interventions specific to certain ethnic groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin H Nguyen
- Author Affiliations: Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health Boston, Massachusetts (Dr Nguyen and Mr Yeh); Department of Health Policy and Management, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California (Drs Oronce and Ponce); UCLA Center for Health Policy Research (Drs Oronce and Ponce); Filipinx/a/o Community Health Association (Drs Oronce and Ponce, Mr Adia); Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (Dr Oronce); Department of Medicine, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California (Dr Oronce); and Department of Health Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, California (Mr Adia)
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Jeong CH, Oh H, Palinkas LA, Lusenhop W. Perceptions of Health Insurance Among Self-employed Korean Immigrants From South Korea in the United States. HEALTH EDUCATION & BEHAVIOR 2024; 51:167-175. [PMID: 36495118 DOI: 10.1177/10901981221139169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Korean Americans in the United States are more likely than other Asian ethnic groups to lack health insurance despite their high education and economic prosperity. According to the model of health service selection, immigrants' perceptions of the health care system and health care behaviors in their host country are affected by sociocultural referents including premigration health care experience in the country of origin. This study explored Korean immigrants' perceptions of health insurance and their intentions to purchase and maintain health insurance in the United States. We conducted in-depth interviews with 24 self-employed Korean immigrants who migrated from South Korea and were living in the Greater Los Angeles area in 2015. Participants generally had negative perceptions of U.S. health insurance in terms of cost, benefits, simplicity, and accessibility. Coupled with their positive experiences with the single-payer, universal health insurance in South Korea, respondents evaluated U.S. health insurance as not worth purchasing, and indicated they would not maintain health insurance once the individual mandate of the Affordable Care Act was abolished. On the contrary, respondents who immigrated prior to the establishment of the Korean universal health insurance in South Korea were relatively satisfied with U.S. health insurance and had maintained health insurance for substantial periods of time. Korean immigrants' premigration health care experiences appeared to influence their decisions to purchase health insurance in the United States and their intention to maintain health insurance. The study findings highlight the necessity of tailored health education that takes into account sociocultural determinants of health coverage among immigrants.
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Chung JE, Karass S, Choi Y, Castillo M, Garcia CA, Shin RD, Tanco K, Kim LS, Hong M, Pan CX. Top Ten Tips Palliative Care Clinicians Should Know About Caring for Filipino American and Korean American Patients. J Palliat Med 2024; 27:104-111. [PMID: 37200523 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2023.0255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
As of 2019, there are 4.2 million Filipino Americans (FAs) and 1.9 million Korean Americans (KAs) in the United States, largely concentrated in New York, California, Texas, Illinois, and Washington. In both populations, similar to the broader U.S. culture, one can find health literacy gaps around understanding and utilizing palliative care. In this article, we provide 10 cultural pearls to guide clinicians on how to sensitively approach FA and KA groups when addressing palliative and end-of-life (EOL) discussions. We fully celebrate that every person is an individual and care should be tailored to each person's goals, values, and preference. In addition, there are several cultural norms that, when appreciated and celebrated, may help clinicians to improve serious illness care and EOL discussions for members of these populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny E Chung
- Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, Weill Cornell Medicine, Flushing, New York, USA
| | - Susan Karass
- Department of Medicine, NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, Weill Cornell Medicine, Flushing, New York, USA
| | - Yoonhee Choi
- Department of Medicine, NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, Weill Cornell Medicine, Flushing, New York, USA
| | - Matthew Castillo
- Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, Weill Cornell Medicine, Flushing, New York, USA
| | - Christine A Garcia
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, NewYork-Presbyterian, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Richard D Shin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, Weill Cornell Medicine, Flushing, New York, USA
| | - Kimberson Tanco
- Division of Cancer Medicine, Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Laura S Kim
- Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York-Presbyterian Queens, Weill Cornell Medicine, Flushing, New York, USA
| | - Michin Hong
- School of Social Work, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Cynthia X Pan
- Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, Weill Cornell Medicine, Flushing, New York, USA
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Oh EG, Huang AW, Nguyen KH. Inequities in Patient Access to Care Among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Adults in Medicaid. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2023:10.1007/s40615-023-01719-x. [PMID: 37491628 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-023-01719-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite decades of advocacy for disaggregated data collection and reporting for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) people, significant gaps remain in our ability to understand AA and NHPI individuals' access to care. We assess inequities in access to care measures between non-Hispanic White and AA and NHPI adult Medicaid enrollees. METHODS We used the 2014-15 Nationwide Adult Medicaid Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems, the first-and-only nationally representative sample of Medicaid enrollees. Our main outcomes were access to needed care, access to a personal doctor, timely access to a checkup, and timely access to specialty care. Using multivariable linear probability models, we assessed the relationship between racial/ethnic group and our outcomes, both in the aggregate and disaggregated into ten racial/ethnic groups, and adjusted for enrollee-level sociodemographic characteristics, health status, and state-level Medicaid expansion status. RESULTS In aggregate, AA and NHPI enrollees reported worse access to care than White enrollees on all four metrics (p < 0.001). The magnitude of disparities varied across the ten AA and NHPI ethnic groups. Disparities relative to White enrollees were particularly large in magnitude, roughly 1.5 to 2 times greater, for Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese enrollees than for the aggregated AA and NHPI group. CONCLUSIONS Despite comparable insurance coverage, there were inequities in multiple access to care metrics between non-Hispanic White and AA and NHPI Medicaid enrollees. Collection of disaggregated health data on AA and NHPI patients reveals important variation in access to care by ethnic group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunhae Grace Oh
- Department of Health Services, Policy, and Practice, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, 02912, USA.
| | - Andrew W Huang
- Department of Health Services, Policy, and Practice, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Kevin H Nguyen
- Department of Health Law, Policy, and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
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Le TK, Cha L, Gee G, Dean LT, Juon HS, Tseng W. Asian American Self-Reported Discrimination in Healthcare and Having a Usual Source of Care. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2023; 10:259-270. [PMID: 35018579 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-021-01216-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Self-reported racial or ethnic discrimination in a healthcare setting has been linked to worse health outcomes and not having a usual source of care, but has been rarely examined among Asian ethnic subgroups. OBJECTIVE We examined the association between Asian ethnic subgroup and self-reported discrimination in a healthcare setting, and whether both factors were associated with not having a usual source of care. DESIGN Using the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) 2015-2017, we used logistic regression models to assess associations among Asian ethnic subgroup, self-reported discrimination, and not having a usual source of care. Interactions between race and self-reported discrimination, foreign-born status, poverty level, and limited English proficiency were also analyzed. PARTICIPANTS Respondents represented adults age 18 + residing in California who identified as White, Black, Hispanic, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian (including Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Other Asian), and Other. MAIN MEASURES We examined two main outcomes: self-reported discrimination in a healthcare setting and having a usual source of care. KEY RESULTS There were 62,965 respondents. After survey weighting, Asians (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.19-2.66) as an aggregate group were more likely to report discrimination than non-Hispanic Whites. When Asians were disaggregated, Japanese (3.12, 1.36-7.13) and Koreans (2.42, 1.11-5.29) were more likely to report discrimination than non-Hispanic Whites. Self-reported discrimination was marginally associated with not having a usual source of care (1.25, 0.99-1.57). Koreans were the only group associated with not having a usual source of care (2.10, 1.23-3.60). Foreign-born Chinese (ROR 7.42, 95% CI 1.7-32.32) and foreign-born Japanese (ROR 4.15, 95% CI 0.82-20.95) were more associated with self-reported discrimination than being independently foreign-born and Chinese or Japanese. CONCLUSIONS Differences in self-reported discrimination in a healthcare setting and not having a usual source of care were observed among Asian ethnic subgroups. Better understanding of these differences in their sociocultural contexts will guide interventions to ensure equitable access to healthcare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas K Le
- School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, 733 N. Broadway, Suite 137 Miller Research Building, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Leah Cha
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Gilbert Gee
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lorraine T Dean
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Hee-Soon Juon
- Division of Population Science, Department of Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Winston Tseng
- Health Research for Action, Berkeley Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
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Gusmano MK, Weisz D, Rodwin VG. Inequalities in hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions in New York City before and after the affordable care act. WORLD MEDICAL & HEALTH POLICY 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/wmh3.548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael K. Gusmano
- Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Programs College of Health, Lehigh University Bethlehem Pennsylvania USA
| | - Daniel Weisz
- Research Scholar, Department of Research, The Hastings Center, Garrison New York USA
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Nguyen KH, Oh EG, Trivedi AN. Variation in Usual Source of Care in Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Other Pacific Islander Adult Medicaid Beneficiaries. Med Care 2022; 60:648-654. [PMID: 35293884 PMCID: PMC9378343 DOI: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disparities in access to care between non-Hispanic White and Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) patients are often attributed to higher uninsurance rates among AANHPI patients. Less is known about variation among individuals with Medicaid health insurance coverage and among AANHPI subgroups. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to examine differences in access to care between White and AANHPI adult Medicaid beneficiaries, both in the aggregate and disaggregated into 9 ethnic subgroups (Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Other Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander). RESEARCH DESIGN Nationwide Adult Medicaid Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems data (2014-2015), a cross-sectional survey representative of all Medicaid beneficiaries. SUBJECTS A total of 126,728 White and 10,089 AANHPI Medicaid beneficiaries were included. MEASURES The study outcomes were: (1) having a usual source of care; and (2) reporting a health center or clinic as the usual site of care. Multivariable linear probability models assessed the relationship between race/ethnic subgroup and our outcomes, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and health status. RESULTS Compared with White beneficiaries, Korean beneficiaries were significantly less likely to report having a usual source of care [difference=-8.9 percentage points (PP), P =0.01], and Chinese (difference=8.4 PP, P =0.001), Native Hawaiian (difference=25.8 PP, P <0.001), and Pacific Islander (difference=22.2 PP, P =0.001) beneficiaries were significantly more likely to report a health center or clinic as their usual site of care. CONCLUSIONS Despite similar health insurance coverage, significant differences in access to care remain between White and AANHPI Medicaid beneficiaries. Disaggregated AANHPI data may reveal important variation in access to care and inform more targeted public policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin H. Nguyen
- Department of Health Services, Policy, and Practice, Brown University School of Public Health
| | - Eunhae G. Oh
- Department of Health Services, Policy, and Practice, Brown University School of Public Health
| | - Amal N. Trivedi
- Department of Health Services, Policy, and Practice, Brown University School of Public Health
- Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, RI
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Moon PK, Chakoma T, Ma Y, Megwalu UC. Thyroid Cancer Incidence, Clinical Presentation, and Survival Among Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2022:1945998221118538. [PMID: 35943808 DOI: 10.1177/01945998221118538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the incidence, clinical presentation, and survival in Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander (NHPI) patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer. STUDY DESIGN This population-based incidence analysis and retrospective cohort study utilized data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. SETTING Incidence analysis included patients diagnosed between 1990 and 2014, while the cohort to study clinical presentation and survival comprised patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2015. METHODS Incidence rates and trends were compared among NHPI, Asian, and non-Hispanic White (NHW) populations. Clinical presentation was assessed via multivariable logistic regression. Survival was assessed per Cox regression. RESULTS Recent incidence trends (2009-2014) show that the rate of increase remained consistent among NHPI patients (annual percentage change, 3.67%; 95% CI, 2.66%-4.69%), while it slowed in the NHW population and plateaued among Asians as compared with previous years. NHPI patients were more likely to present with distant metastasis than NHW patients (odds ratio, 3.37; 95% CI, 1.97-5.36) and Asian patients (odds ratio, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.05-2.97). NHPI race was also associated with advanced T stage and nodal metastasis as compared with the NHW race. Survival outcomes were similar among NHPI, NHW, and Asian patients. CONCLUSION Well-differentiated thyroid cancer incidence has increased at a higher rate for the NHPI population as opposed to the NHW and Asian populations in recent years. NHPI patients are more likely to present with advanced disease when compared with NHW and Asian patients. These results highlight the importance of disaggregating the often-combined Asian/Pacific Islander group in epidemiologic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter K Moon
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Tatenda Chakoma
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Yifei Ma
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Uchechukwu C Megwalu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
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Upfill-Brown AM, Paisner ND, Donnelly PC, De A, Sassoon AA. Lower Rates of Ceramic Femoral Head Use in Non-White Patients in the United States, a National Registry Study. J Arthroplasty 2022; 37:S919-S924.e2. [PMID: 35307527 PMCID: PMC9386729 DOI: 10.1016/j.arth.2022.03.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The purpose of our study was to investigate the association of race and ethnicity with the use of the newest technology and postoperative outcomes in total hip arthroplasty (THA) using the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR). METHODS Adult THA procedures were queried from the AJRR from 2012 to 2020. A mixed-effects multivariate regression model was used to evaluate the association of race and ethnicity with the use of the newest technology (ceramic femoral head, dual-mobility implant, and robotic assist) at 30-day, and 90-day readmission. A proportional subdistribution hazard model was used to model a risk of revision THA. RESULTS There were 85,188 THAs with complete data for an analysis of outcomes and 103,218 for an analysis of ceramic head usage. The median length of follow-up was 37.9 months (interquartile range [IQR] 21.6 to 56.3 months). In multivariate models, compared to White non-Hispanic patients, Black (odds ratio [OR] 0.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.69-0.92, P < .001), Hispanic (OR 0.76, CI 0.59-0.99, P = .037), Asian (OR 0.74, CI 0.55-1.00, P = .045), and Native American (OR 0.52, CI 0.30-0.87, P = .004) patients all had significantly lower rates of ceramic head use in THA. Compared to White non-Hispanic patients, Asian (hazard ratio [HR] 0.39, CI 0.18-0.86, P = .008) and Hispanic (HR 0.43, CI 0.19-0.98, P = .043) patients had significantly lower rates of revision. No differences in 30-day or 90-day readmission rates were seen. CONCLUSION Black, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian patients had lower rates of ceramic head use in THA when compared to White patients. These differences did not translate into worse clinical outcomes on a short-term follow-up. In fact, Asian patients had lower revision rates compared to non-Hispanic White patients. Additional study is necessary to evaluate the long-term consequence of lower ceramic head use in non-White patients in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Noah D. Paisner
- Pacific Northwest University School of Health Sciences, Yakima, WA
| | - Patrick C. Donnelly
- American Joint Replacement Registry, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rosemont, IL
| | - Ayushmita De
- American Joint Replacement Registry, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rosemont, IL
| | - Adam A. Sassoon
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA,Address correspondence to: Adam A. Sassoon, MD, MS, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 1250 16th, Street, Suite 2100, Santa Monica, CA 90404
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Moon PK, Ma Y, Megwalu UC. Head and Neck Cancer Stage at Presentation and Survival Outcomes Among Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Patients Compared With Asian and White Patients. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2022; 148:636-645. [PMID: 35616952 PMCID: PMC9136676 DOI: 10.1001/jamaoto.2022.1086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Importance Research studies often group Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander individuals together with Asian individuals despite being consistently identified as having worse health outcomes and higher rates of comorbidities and mortality. Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander individuals also have high incidence rates of oral cavity and pharyngeal cancer compared with the general population; however, disparities in clinical presentation and survival outcomes of head and neck cancer squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) among this population have not been investigated nor compared with those of other races. Objective To determine the association of race with cancer stage at diagnosis and survival outcomes among Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander patients with HNSCC compared with Asian and non-Hispanic White patients. Design, Setting, and Participants This was a retrospective population-based cohort study using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) 18 database. Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and non-Hispanic White adult patients diagnosed in 1988 through 2015 with HNSCC of the oral cavity, oropharynx, nasopharynx, larynx, and hypopharynx were included; any patient whose record was missing data on disease or demographic information was excluded. Main Outcomes and Measures Cancer stage at presentation was compared among Asian, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and non-Hispanic White patients using a multivariable logistic regression model. Survival outcomes were compared among these racial groups using Cox regression models. Data analyses were performed from July 1, 2021, to March 20, 2022. Results The total study population comprised 76 473 patients: 4894 Asian (mean [SD] age at presentation, 60.7 [14.6] years), 469 Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (57.8 [12.3] years), and 71 110 non-Hispanic White (62.2 [12.1] years) individuals. Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander patients were more likely to present with advanced-stage HNSCC (odds ratio [OR], 1.38; 95% CI, 1.12 -1.72) compared with non-Hispanic White patients. Asian patients presented with similar stage disease (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.97-1.11) compared with non-Hispanic White patients. Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander patients had worse disease-specific survival (HR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.02-1.36) compared with non-Hispanic White patients after adjusting for clinical and demographic factors. In contrast, Asian patients had improved disease-specific survival (HR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.88-0.98) compared with non-Hispanic White patients. Conclusions and Relevance This retrospective population-based cohort study suggests that Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander race was associated with more advanced HNSCC, and worse disease-specific survival compared with non-Hispanic White race, while Asian race was associated with improved survival. This study highlights the importance of disaggregating Asian from Pacific Islander data when assessing health disparities, and the need for culturally sensitive interventions to promote earlier detection of head and neck cancer and improved survival among the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Kim Moon
- Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Yifei Ma
- Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Uchechukwu C. Megwalu
- Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
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Le TK, Vongsachang H, Pang S, Zhang GQ, Li T, Lee JTC, Lawson SM. US medical student perspectives on asian american patient inclusion in medical education: a qualitative Study. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION 2022; 22:482. [PMID: 35729562 PMCID: PMC9213094 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-022-03550-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Asian American (AsAm) representation is lacking in conversations surrounding cultural humility in healthcare. We aimed to investigate US medical student perspectives on AsAm patient inclusion in cultural humility training in medical education. METHODS This qualitative study analyzed free-text responses to an optional, open-ended question presented at the conclusion of an online survey assessing medical student experiences with and perceptions regarding AsAm patients in their medical education. This survey was distributed to a convenience sample of nine US medical schools. Medical students who completed at least one clinical rotation were eligible to participate in the survey. Qualitative analysis of free-text responses was conducted in an iterative process to generate emergent themes. RESULTS There was a total of 195 optional free-text responses from 688 participants (28%). Motivation to learn about AsAm population included shared identity and desire to better serve the AsAm population in their local community and future careers. Topics of interest included healthcare-related cultural preferences, healthcare delivery strategies, and health disparities for the AsAm population and other minority patients. Students reported that they drew on personal experiences and some pre-clinical or clinical exposures to learn about AsAm patients. Respondents cited the lack of exposure in the medical school curriculum and clinical experiences as the main challenge to learning about AsAm health and provided suggestions for the delivery of this education in their pre-clinical and clinical education. Respondents emphasized that AsAms are treated as a monolith in medical education and healthcare, despite their heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS Medical students identified a need and interest for greater inclusion of AsAm topics in medical education on cultural humility and minority health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas K Le
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 733 N. Broadway, Miller Research Building Suite 137, MD, 21205, Baltimore, US
| | - Hursuong Vongsachang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 733 N. Broadway, Miller Research Building Suite 137, MD, 21205, Baltimore, US
| | - Sharon Pang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 733 N. Broadway, Miller Research Building Suite 137, MD, 21205, Baltimore, US
| | - George Q Zhang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 733 N. Broadway, Miller Research Building Suite 137, MD, 21205, Baltimore, US
| | - Taibo Li
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 733 N. Broadway, Miller Research Building Suite 137, MD, 21205, Baltimore, US
| | - Jason T C Lee
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 733 N. Broadway, Miller Research Building Suite 137, MD, 21205, Baltimore, US
| | - Shari M Lawson
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 733 N. Broadway, Miller Research Building Suite 137, MD, 21205, Baltimore, US.
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Kim KE, Humphrey HJ, Koh HK. Prioritizing Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. Health Equity Agenda. ACADEMIC MEDICINE : JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN MEDICAL COLLEGES 2022; 97:786-789. [PMID: 35320122 DOI: 10.1097/acm.0000000000004673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) populations are growing rapidly in the United States, yet AANHPIs remain understudied, overlooked, and misunderstood. During the COVID-19 pandemic, themes from the tragic history of anti-Asian bias and marginalization have resurfaced in a surge of renewed bigotry and xenophobic violence against AANHPIs. In this commentary, the authors discuss the role of medical schools in combating anti-Asian sentiment as an important step toward achieving health equity. Based on their collective expertise in health disparities research, medical education, and policy, they offer suggestions about how to disrupt the pattern of invisibility and exclusion faced by AANHPI populations. They consider ways that representative data, leadership in medical education, research funding, national policies, and broad partnerships can help address AANHPI health disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen E Kim
- K.E. Kim is vice provost for research, professor of medicine, and director, Center for Asian Health Equity, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Holly J Humphrey
- H.J. Humphrey is president, Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, New York, New York
| | - Howard K Koh
- H.K. Koh is Harvey V. Fineberg Professor of the Practice of Public Health Leadership, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
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Bogulski CA, Willis DE, Williams CA, Ayers BL, Andersen JA, McElfish PA. Stressful life events and social support among pregnant Marshallese women. Matern Child Health J 2022; 26:1194-1202. [PMID: 35551586 PMCID: PMC9095441 DOI: 10.1007/s10995-022-03404-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Introduction Women from racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States are disproportionately likely to experience adverse perinatal outcomes such as preterm birth, low birthweight infants, and infant mortality. Previous research has demonstrated that exposure to stressful life events and social support may influence perinatal outcomes. Although studies have documented stressful life events and social support for the general United States population and minority groups, less is known about the experiences of Pacific Islander women in the United States, and no prior studies have documented these experiences in Marshallese Pacific Islander women. Methods The present study examined data collected from pregnant Marshallese women (n = 67) in northwest Arkansas participating in a women’s health program using descriptive analyses (means, standard deviations, proportions). Results Results indicated a high prevalence of three stressful life events: experiencing a family member going into the hospital (35.8%), someone close to them dying (29.9%), and being unable to pay bills (53.7%). Food insecurity was higher than previously reported for pregnant women or Pacific Islanders (83.7%). Social support was high among the sample. A majority of women reported receiving help with daily chores (86.6%), help when sick (88.1%), and support on how to deal with personal problems (85.1%). Discussion This study is the first to document the prevalence of stressful life events and social support in a sample of pregnant Marshallese women living in the United States. The findings provide important information to guide efforts to reduce adverse perinatal outcomes in a Pacific Islander population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cari A. Bogulski
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 1125 N. College Avenue, 72703-1908 Fayetteville, AR United States
| | - Don E. Willis
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 1125 N. College Avenue, 72703-1908 Fayetteville, AR United States
| | - Christina A. Williams
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 1125 N. College Avenue, 72703-1908 Fayetteville, AR United States
| | - Britni L. Ayers
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 1125 N. College Avenue, 72703-1908 Fayetteville, AR United States
| | - Jennifer A. Andersen
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 1125 N. College Avenue, 72703-1908 Fayetteville, AR United States
| | - Pearl A. McElfish
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 1125 N. College Avenue, 72703-1908 Fayetteville, AR United States
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14
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Chen MS, Lee RJ, Madan RA, Ta Park V, Shinagawa SM, Sun T, Gomez SL. Charting a Path Towards Asian American Cancer Health Equity: A Way Forward. J Natl Cancer Inst 2022; 114:792-799. [PMID: 35437573 PMCID: PMC9194616 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djac055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
On July 29, 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration’s Oncology Center of Excellence convened Conversations on Cancer. This Conversation, the first ever by the US Food and Drug Administration, focused on Asian Americans and served as the platform for this Commentary. Panelists elaborated on topics ranging from heterogeneity in Asian American demographics to racism through a path to health equity and supplemented this Commentary with literature citations. Asian Americans are the fastest-growing US race group, yet data aggregation obscures distinctions and cancer disparities within the more than 24 million Asians living in the United States with harmful impacts on communities and patients, as illustrated by breast cancer survivor Susan Shinagawa’s patient-to-advocate journey. Bigotry against Asian Americans has been pervasive since the 19th century, but especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Asian Americans are unique as the first US population to experience cancer as the leading cause of death. Asian Americans are disproportionately affected by cancers because of infectious origins and have the highest rates of lung cancer among never-smoking women. The infinitesimal proportion of the National Institutes of Health’s budget compared with experiencing the highest percentage increases of any US racial population more than 3 decades highlights the dearth of focused research among Asian Americans. Recognizing the heterogeneity of Asian Americans and that disaggregated data are critical for accurately characterizing distinct ethnic groups, focusing on the impact of racism and COVID-19 on cancer disparities, and focusing and prioritizing funding resources are necessary steps forward for achieving health equity for Asian Americans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moon S Chen
- Department of Internal Medicine, UC Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Richard J Lee
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ravi A Madan
- Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Van Ta Park
- Department of Community Health Systems, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Susan M Shinagawa
- Asian and Pacific Islander National Cancer Survivors Network, Spring Valley, CA, USA
| | - Tracy Sun
- Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Scarlett L Gomez
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, UC San Francisco School of Medicine and the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
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15
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Koh HK, Choi JK, Caballero JB. Toward Healing and Health Equity for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Populations. JAMA 2021; 326:599-600. [PMID: 34402823 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2021.9441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Howard K Koh
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Juliet K Choi
- The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, Oakland, California
- The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, Washington, DC
| | - Jeffrey B Caballero
- The Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, San Francisco, California
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16
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Ye W, Rodriguez JM. Highly vulnerable communities and the Affordable Care Act: Health insurance coverage effects, 2010-2018. Soc Sci Med 2021; 270:113670. [PMID: 33450469 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Initially implemented in 2014 in some U.S. states, the Medicaid expansions under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) aimed to make health insurance coverage more accessible to the low-income population. This paper aims to quantify the impact of the ACA Medicaid expansions on insurance coverage among racial/ethnic minorities, immigrants, single mothers, veterans, and low-education whites-i.e., the sectors of the population identified with some of the highest healthcare needs. We focus on individuals 18-64 years of age earning 138% or less of the federal poverty level from the American Community Survey, 2010-2018 (n = 2,927,402). We use difference-in-differences (DD) and difference-in-difference-in-differences (DDD) approaches with propensity scores matched comparison groups to estimate pre-post ACA insurance coverage differences between individuals living in states that participated in the ACA Medicaid expansions and those living in non-participating states, and to estimate if such differences vary across subgroups. We find that insurance coverage rates increased for all subgroups; yet, the ACA benefits have not been evenly distributed across them. Low-education whites, non-Hispanic whites, females, and non-Hispanic Native Americans exhibited the highest improvements in insurance coverage. Our results contribute to the understanding of recent trends in racial and socioeconomic disparities in healthcare and the appropriate policy prescriptions to ameliorate them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Ye
- Claremont Graduate University, United States
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17
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Ali SH, Yi SS, Wyatt LC, Misra S, Kwon SC, Trinh-Shevrin C, Islam NS. Neighborhood social cohesion and disease prevention in Asian immigrant populations. Prev Med 2020; 141:106298. [PMID: 33148519 PMCID: PMC7581417 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2020.106298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
In the United States (US), chronic disease risk factors are highly prevalent among Asian immigrant communities, who also exhibit low health screening rates. Perceived neighborhood social cohesion (NSC) has been associated with preventive healthcare use in the general US population, although it remains unexplored among Asian Americans (AAs). The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between NSC and preventive screening for hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, and depression among East, South and Southeast Asian American (EAA, SAA, SEAA) communities in New York City (NYC) using cross-sectional, locally collected data from 2013 to 2016. NSC was assessed using a 4-question scale to create an additive score between 4 and 16 and was analyzed both as a continuous and categorial variable (High, Medium, and Low tertiles). Recent screening was defined as a check-up within the last year for each of the included health conditions. A one-unit increase in NSC score was associated with increased odds of recent screening for high cholesterol in EAAs (AOR = 1.09, 95%CI:1.00-1.20); for high cholesterol, diabetes, and depression in SAAs (AOR = 1.08, 95%CI:1.00-1.20; AOR = 1.07, 95%CI:1.00-1.15; AOR = 1.15, 95%CI:1.06-1.25); and with high cholesterol among SEAAs (AOR = 1.12, 95%CI:1.00-1.25). Overall, NSC was an important facilitator for preventive screening behaviors for specific conditions in different groups, though was consistently associated with screening for high cholesterol in our sample. Enhancing NSC through family and community-based programming may be one strategy to encourage screening for preventive behaviors, though more research is needed to elucidate a precise mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahmir H Ali
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York University, NY, USA
| | - Stella S Yi
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Laura C Wyatt
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Supriya Misra
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York University, NY, USA
| | - Simona C Kwon
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chau Trinh-Shevrin
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nadia S Islam
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
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Churchwell K, Elkind MSV, Benjamin RM, Carson AP, Chang EK, Lawrence W, Mills A, Odom TM, Rodriguez CJ, Rodriguez F, Sanchez E, Sharrief AZ, Sims M, Williams O. Call to Action: Structural Racism as a Fundamental Driver of Health Disparities: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association. Circulation 2020; 142:e454-e468. [PMID: 33170755 DOI: 10.1161/cir.0000000000000936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 484] [Impact Index Per Article: 121.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Structural racism has been and remains a fundamental cause of persistent health disparities in the United States. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and multiple others have been reminders that structural racism persists and restricts the opportunities for long, healthy lives of Black Americans and other historically disenfranchised groups. The American Heart Association has previously published statements addressing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk and disparities among racial and ethnic groups in the United States, but these statements have not adequately recognized structural racism as a fundamental cause of poor health and disparities in cardiovascular disease. This presidential advisory reviews the historical context, current state, and potential solutions to address structural racism in our country. Several principles emerge from our review: racism persists; racism is experienced; and the task of dismantling racism must belong to all of society. It cannot be accomplished by affected individuals alone. The path forward requires our commitment to transforming the conditions of historically marginalized communities, improving the quality of housing and neighborhood environments of these populations, advocating for policies that eliminate inequities in access to economic opportunities, quality education, and health care, and enhancing allyship among racial and ethnic groups. Future research on racism must be accelerated and should investigate the joint effects of multiple domains of racism (structural, interpersonal, cultural, anti-Black). The American Heart Association must look internally to correct its own shortcomings and advance antiracist policies and practices regarding science, public and professional education, and advocacy. With this advisory, the American Heart Association declares its unequivocal support of antiracist principles.
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19
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Michener J. Race, Politics, and the Affordable Care Act. JOURNAL OF HEALTH POLITICS, POLICY AND LAW 2020; 45:547-566. [PMID: 32186349 DOI: 10.1215/03616878-8255481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The political processes surrounding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) offer valuable lessons about race and politics in the United States. In particular, the ACA underscores a critical tension between politics and policy in a racialized polity: even when policies are intended to target and address racial disparities, politics can undermine the steps necessary to do so. Close scrutiny of the ACA during its first decade reveals how race intersects with politics to render public policy less equitable and more vulnerable to erosion. Ultimately, this analysis points to the ways that racialized political processes are formidable barriers to equitable material outcomes. By examining such processes and making them visible, this article elucidates the possibilities, limits, and contours of public policy as a mechanism for achieving racial justice.
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20
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McMenamin SB, Pourat N, Lee R, Breen N. The Importance of Health Insurance in Addressing Asian American Disparities in Utilization of Clinical Preventive Services: 12-Year Pooled Data from California. Health Equity 2020; 4:292-303. [PMID: 32775939 PMCID: PMC7406996 DOI: 10.1089/heq.2020.0008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Previous research has shown that Asian Americans are less likely to receive recommended clinical preventive services especially for cancer compared with non-Hispanic whites. Health insurance expansion has been recommended as a way to increase use of these preventive services. This study examines the extent to which utilization of preventive services by Asians overall and by ethnicity compared with non-Hispanic whites is moderated by health insurance. Methods: Data from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) was used to examine preventive service utilization among non-Hispanic whites, Asians, and Asian subgroups 50-64 years of age by insurance status. Six waves of CHIS data from 2001 to 2011 were combined to allow analysis of Asian subgroups. Logistic regression models were run to predict the effect of insurance on receipt of mammography, colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, and flu shots among Asians overall and by ethnicity compared with whites. Results: Privately insured Asians reported significantly lower adjusted rates of mammography (83.1% vs. 87.6%) and CRC screening (54.7% vs. 59.4%), and higher rates of influenza vaccination (48.7% vs. 38.5%) than privately insured non-Hispanic whites. Adjusted rates of cancer screening were lower among Koreans and Chinese for mammography, and lower among Filipinos for CRC screening. Conclusion: This study highlights the limitations of providing insurance coverage as a strategy to eliminate disparities for cancer screening among Asians without addressing cultural factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara B. McMenamin
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Nadereh Pourat
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Richard Lee
- Information Management Services, Inc., Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Nancy Breen
- National Cancer Institute, NIH, Rockville, Maryland, USA
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21
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Insurance Coverage and Health Care Utilization Among Asian Youth Before and After the Affordable Care Act. Acad Pediatr 2020; 20:670-677. [PMID: 31733360 DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2019.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We examined changes in insurance coverage and health care utilization associated with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) among subgroups of Asian youth relative to non-Latino white youth. METHODS Data were from the 2010 to 2017 American Community Survey and National Health Interview Survey. Difference-in-difference models were used to examine changes in insurance coverage and health care utilization associated with the ACA among subgroups of Asian youth relative to white youth and subgroups of Asian youth in households below 200% of the federal poverty level relative to comparable white youth. RESULTS Since the implementation of the ACA, insurance coverage increased among all Asian subgroups and white youth. The magnitude of the increase in insurance coverage was larger among Asian subgroups than white youth. More pronounced increases were found among almost all Asian subgroups in households below 200% federal poverty level. Changes in health care utilization were limited and varied by subgroup. Increases in well-child visits were observed only among Chinese and "other" Asian youth. CONCLUSIONS Insurance coverage increased among Asian youth after the implementation of the ACA. Improvements in health care utilization were limited and differed by subgroups. Programs to improve health care utilization should be tailored to Asian youth according to subgroup.
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22
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Errors in Survey Description. JAMA Intern Med 2020; 180:618. [PMID: 32065597 PMCID: PMC7042794 DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.0050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
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23
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Park S, Chen J, Ma GX, Ortega AN. Utilization of essential preventive health services among Asians after the implementation of the preventive services provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Prev Med Rep 2019; 16:101008. [PMID: 31890468 PMCID: PMC6931224 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2019.101008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Utilization of cost-effective essential preventive health services increased after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) provision that non-grandfathered private insurers provide cost-effective preventive services without cost sharing in 2010. Little is known, however, whether this change is also observed among Asians in the US. We examined patterns of preventive services utilization among Asian subgroups relative to non-Latino whites (whites) after the implementation of the ACA's preventive services provisions. Using 2013-2016 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data, we examined utilization trends in preventive services among Asian Indians, Chinese, Filipinos, and other Asians relative to whites. We also ran logistic regression models to estimate the likelihood of having received each of the seven essential preventive services (routine checkups, flu vaccinations, cholesterol screenings, blood pressure checkups, Papanicolaou "pap" tests, mammograms, and colorectal cancer screenings). Compared to whites, Asians had higher rates of utilization of routine checkups, cholesterol screenings, and flu vaccinations, but they had lower utilization rates of blood pressure checkups, pap tests, and mammograms. The patterns of preventive services utilization differed across the Asian subgroups. All Asian subgroups, except for Filipinos, were less likely to have pap tests or mammograms than whites. Moreover, we observed a decreasing trend in having pap tests, mammograms, or colorectal cancer screenings among all Asian subgroups between 2013 and 2016. Our findings suggest that there are low cancer screening rates across Asian subgroups. This indicates the need for programs tailored to specific Asian subgroups to improve cancer screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungchul Park
- Department of Health Management and Policy, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, 3125 Market Street, Nesbitt Hall 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Jie Chen
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, 4200 Valley Drive, Suite 2242, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| | - Grace X. Ma
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Center for Asian Health, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, 3500 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140, United States
| | - Alexander N. Ortega
- Department of Health Management and Policy, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, 3125 Market Street, Nesbitt Hall 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
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24
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Nguyen KH, Trivedi AN. Asian American Access to Care in the Affordable Care Act Era: Findings from a Population-Based Survey in California. J Gen Intern Med 2019; 34:2660-2668. [PMID: 31512183 PMCID: PMC6848322 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-019-05328-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Revised: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Though Asian Americans made gains in coverage following the Affordable Care Act (ACA), substantial variations in access to care remain across different ethnic subgroups. Several states are considering adoption of policies to collect health data for Asian Americans that is disaggregated by ethnic subgroup, which may identify disparities in access to care. OBJECTIVE We examined coverage and access to care between non-Hispanic White and Asian American adults following the ACA in California. We first compared outcomes in non-Hispanic White adults with all Asian Americans in our sample, and then evaluated whether we detect disparities when data is disaggregated into five of the most populous ethnic subgroups (Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Vietnamese, and Japanese). DESIGN Cross-sectional California Health Interview Survey data were collected between January 2014 and December 2016. PARTICIPANTS Our sample included 19,201 non-Hispanic White and 3077 Asian American non-elderly adults age 18 to 64 living in California. MAIN MEASURES Our outcomes were (1) being uninsured, (2) having a usual source of care, (3) delaying necessary medical care, and (4) delaying necessary prescription medications. Using multivariable logistic regression models, we examined our outcomes, adjusting for predisposing, enabling, need, and acculturation factors. KEY RESULTS Compared with non-Hispanic Whites, some subgroups of Asian Americans reported significantly worse access to care: disaggregated, adjusted analyses revealed that Koreans were significantly less likely to report a usual source of care (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.31, p < 0.01) relative to non-Hispanic Whites. Chinese (AOR = 0.42, p < 0.01) and Vietnamese (AOR = 0.34, p < 0.01) adults were significantly less likely to delay necessary care. CONCLUSIONS Disaggregated analyses identified differences in access to care for Asian American subgroups following the ACA. State policies to collect disaggregated health data for Asian Americans may reveal heterogeneity in experiences of care and inform specific policies to reduce disparities in access to care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin H Nguyen
- Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA.
| | - Amal N Trivedi
- Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA.,Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, RI, USA
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25
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The Effects of the Affordable Care Act on Health Care Access and Utilization Among Asian American Subgroups. Med Care 2019; 57:861-868. [DOI: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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26
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Park JJ, Sommers BD, Humble S, Epstein AM, Colditz GA, Koh HK. Medicaid And Private Insurance Coverage For Low-Income Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, And Pacific Islanders, 2010-16. Health Aff (Millwood) 2019; 38:1911-1917. [PMID: 31682495 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2019.00316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
To determine how low-income Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) adults gained health insurance coverage-specifically, via Medicaid or private insurance-under the Affordable Care Act, we used a difference-in-differences approach to compare uninsurance rates in 2010-13 and 2015-16. In Medicaid expansion states, adjusted Medicaid coverage gains were 9.67 percentage points larger than in nonexpansion states; however, adjusted private coverage gains in expansion states were 10.19 percentage points lower. These results indicate that, in contrast to the case for other racial/ethnic groups, for AANHPI the Medicaid coverage increases in expansion states were of similar magnitude to the private insurance coverage increases in nonexpansion states. Reasons for this may include differences in willingness to enroll in public versus private coverage, barriers related to language or citizenship status, or other factors. Future studies are needed to understand these patterns and promote health equity for this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- John J Park
- John J. Park ( john. park@mail. harvard. edu ) is a Knox Fellow in the Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, in Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Benjamin D Sommers
- Benjamin D. Sommers is a professor of health policy and economics in the Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, and a professor of medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, in Boston
| | - Sarah Humble
- Sarah Humble is a senior statistical data analyst in the Public Health Sciences Division, Washington University School of Medicine, in St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Arnold M Epstein
- Arnold M. Epstein is the John H. Foster Professor of Health Policy and Management in the Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
| | - Graham A Colditz
- Graham A. Colditz is the Neiss-Gain Professor in the Public Health Sciences Division, Washington University School of Medicine
| | - Howard K Koh
- Howard K. Koh is the Harvey V. Fineberg Professor of the Practice of Public Health Leadership in the Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
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Park S, Chen J, Roby DH, Ortega AN. Differences in Health Care Expenditures Among Non-Latino Whites and Asian Subgroups Vary Along the Distribution of the Expenditures. Med Care Res Rev 2019; 78:432-440. [PMID: 31524050 DOI: 10.1177/1077558719874212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Using a nationally representative sample from the 2013 to 2016 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, we examined differences among non-Latino Whites and Asian subgroups (Asian Indians, Chinese, Filipinos, and other Asians) across distributions of total health care expenditures and out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures. For total health care expenditures, differences between Asian and White adults persisted throughout the distribution, but the magnitude of the difference was larger at no or low levels of expenditures than at high expenditure levels. A similar pattern was observed in OOP expenditures, but the magnitude of the difference was substantially larger at low levels of expenditures. The extent of the difference varied by Asian subgroup, but this trend persisted across all the subgroups. Similar trends were observed by nativity and limited English proficiency. Our findings suggest that differences in health care expenditures between Whites and Asians are more pronounced at low expenditure levels.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jie Chen
- University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
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28
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Han Y, Moore JX, Langston M, Fuzzell L, Khan S, Lewis MW, Colditz GA, Liu Y. Do breast quadrants explain racial disparities in breast cancer outcomes? Cancer Causes Control 2019; 30:1171-1182. [PMID: 31456108 DOI: 10.1007/s10552-019-01222-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Tumors of the inner quadrants of the breast are associated with poorer survival than those of the upper-outer quadrant. It is unknown whether racial differences in breast cancer outcomes are modified by breast quadrant, in addition to comparisons among Asian subgroups. METHODS Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, we analyzed data among women diagnosed with non-metastatic invasive breast cancer between 1990 and 2014. We performed Cox proportional hazards regression models to assess the associations of race with breast cancer-specific survival and overall survival, stratified by breast quadrants. The models were adjusted for age, year of the diagnosis, tumor size, grade, histological type, tumor laterality, lymph node, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and treatments. RESULTS Among 454,154 patients (73.0% White, 10.0% Black, 7.8% Asian/PI, and 9.2% Hispanic), 54.3% had tumors diagnosed in the upper-outer quadrant of the breast. Asian/PI women were more likely than White to have tumors diagnosed in the nipple/central portion of the breast and were less likely to have diagnosed in the upper-outer quadrant (P < 0.001), despite a similar distribution of breast quadrant between Black, Hispanic, and White women. Compared with White women, the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios of breast cancer-specific mortality were 1.41 (95% CI 1.37-1.44) in Black women, 0.82 (95% CI 0.79-0.85) in Asian women, and 1.05 (95% CI 1.02-1.09) in Hispanic women. Among Asian subgroups, Japanese American women had a lower risk of breast cancer-specific mortality (HR = 0.68, 95% CI 0.62-0.74) compared with White women. Overall survival was similar to breast cancer-specific survival in each race group. The race-associated risks did not vary significantly by breast quadrants for breast cancer-specific mortality and all-cause mortality. CONCLUSIONS Differences in breast cancer survival by race could not be attributed to tumor locations. Understanding the cultural, biological, and lifestyle factors that vary between White, African American, and ethnic subgroups of Asian American women may help explain these survival differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunan Han
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Ave, Campus Box 8100, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.,Department of Breast Surgery, First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Justin Xavier Moore
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Ave, Campus Box 8100, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.,Division of Epidemiology, Department of Population Health Sciences, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Marvin Langston
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Ave, Campus Box 8100, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.,Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente, Northern California, Oakland, CA, 94612, USA
| | - Lindsay Fuzzell
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Ave, Campus Box 8100, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.,Department of Health Outcomes & Behavior, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Saira Khan
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Ave, Campus Box 8100, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.,Epidemiology Program, College of Health Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Marquita W Lewis
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Ave, Campus Box 8100, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Graham A Colditz
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Ave, Campus Box 8100, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.,Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ying Liu
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Ave, Campus Box 8100, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA. .,Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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Reducing Racial Inequities in Health: Using What We Already Know to Take Action. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16040606. [PMID: 30791452 PMCID: PMC6406315 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16040606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 211] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
This paper provides an overview of the scientific evidence pointing to critically needed steps to reduce racial inequities in health. First, it argues that communities of opportunity should be developed to minimize some of the adverse impacts of systemic racism. These are communities that provide early childhood development resources, implement policies to reduce childhood poverty, provide work and income support opportunities for adults, and ensure healthy housing and neighborhood conditions. Second, the healthcare system needs new emphases on ensuring access to high quality care for all, strengthening preventive health care approaches, addressing patients’ social needs as part of healthcare delivery, and diversifying the healthcare work force to more closely reflect the demographic composition of the patient population. Finally, new research is needed to identify the optimal strategies to build political will and support to address social inequities in health. This will include initiatives to raise awareness levels of the pervasiveness of inequities in health, build empathy and support for addressing inequities, enhance the capacity of individuals and communities to actively participate in intervention efforts and implement large scale efforts to reduce racial prejudice, ideologies, and stereotypes in the larger culture that undergird policy preferences that initiate and sustain inequities.
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