Nativity and Occupational Class Disparities in Uninsurance and Routine Preventive Care Use Among Asian Americans

Abstract

Using data from 1,530 Asian respondents of the 2002-2003 National Latino and Asian American Study, we examined how nativity and occupational class are associated with uninsurance, no routine physical check-up in the past year and no dental/eye exam use in the past year using weighted multivariate logistic regression models. Recent immigrants had increased odds of uninsurance and no dental/eye exam use than US-born Asians which became nonsignificant after controlling for occupational class and covariates. Unemployed and service workers had increased odds of uninsurance than white-collar workers even after controlling for income and limited English proficiency (LEP). Approximately 35-40% of blue-collar and service workers reported neither type of preventive care use. Even after controlling for LEP, income, uninsurance, having a regular doctor or place of care, service workers had significantly increased odds of no physical check-up and no dental/eye exam use and blue-collar workers had marginally significant increased odds of no dental/eye exam use. Significant occupational disparities exist in access and preventive care use with workers in service occupations being particularly underserved.