Health Services Utilization by Low-Income Limited English Proficient Adults

• Published in: Journal of immigrant and minority health Vol. 10; no. 3; pp. 207 - 217
• Main Authors: Graham, Elinor A., Jacobs, Troy A., Kwan-Gett, Tao Sheng, Cover, Jane
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01-06-2008; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Adults; Communication Barriers; Comparative Law; Correlation analysis; Emergency medical services; Emergency Service, Hospital - utilization; English language; Female; Government programs; Health care; Health Care Costs; Health care expenditures; Health insurance; Health services; Health Services - utilization; Helpseeking; Humans; Immigrants; Insurance coverage; International & Foreign Law; Interpreters; Language; Languages; Limited English Speaking; Male; Managed care; Managed Care Programs - statistics & numerical data; Medicaid; Medicaid - statistics & numerical data; Medical records; Medical service; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Medicine - statistics & numerical data; Middle Aged; Minorities; Multivariate analysis; Non-English speaking people; Noncitizens; Original Paper; Patients; Poor; Poverty - ethnology; Poverty - statistics & numerical data; Preventive health care; Primary health care; Primary Health Care - utilization; Private International Law; Public Health; Sociology; Specialization; Studies; United States; United States; Interpreter; Immigrant; Managed care; Limited English proficiency; Refugee; Medicaid; Ambulatory care
• ISSN: 1557-1912; 1557-1920
• DOI: 10.1007/s10903-007-9069-3

Objectives
We evaluated the health care utilization of limited English proficiency (LEP) compared to English proficient (EP) adults with the same health insurance (Medicaid managed care) and full access to professional medical interpreters.
Methods
Health care utilization over two years was compared for 567 LEP and 1162 EP adults. Multivariate analysis controlled for age, gender, months enrolled in Medicaid and morbidity.
Results
LEP compared to EP subjects were enrolled longer and more continuously in Medicaid, were 94% more likely to use primary care and 78% less likely to use the emergency department. Specialty visits and hospitalization did not differ.
Conclusions
When language barriers are reduced and health insurance coverage is the same, LEP patients show ambulatory health care utilization associated with lower cost and more access to preventive care through establishing a primary care home.