MEPS Study: Why Does Place Matter

为什么地点很重要？-居住隔离和健康方面的种族差异之间的联系是有充分证据的。我们先前在HCHDS的研究扩展了研究文献，发现了居住隔离和医疗保健利用之间的关联。使用2006年医疗支出小组调查的数据，我们发现，与生活在白人占多数的社区的人相比，生活在少数族裔社区的人获得医生护理的机会更少，使用的医生、非医生、心理健康、心脏和糖尿病服务也更少。然而，除了社区的种族和民族组成之外，人们对管理这些协会的机制知之甚少。该项目旨在描述医疗保健使用中的“地点”和种族差异之间的关系。我们要 通过了解“地点”的动态来推进我们的研究。少数民族的特点是什么 在健康和医疗保健使用方面产生差异的社区？这项研究项目提出了三个 具体目的是回答这个问题：为什么地点很重要？ 具体目标1)确定社区的种族/族裔构成与 医疗保健使用可以通过医疗保健提供者可获得性的变化来解释。 具体目标2)检查个人的医疗保健用途是否随着种族/民族的变化而变化 他们的人口普查区域的构成随着时间的推移而变化。 具体目标3)确定社区的私人投资水平是否影响健康和 医疗保健利用率。

Why Does Place Matter? - The association between residential segregation and racial disparities in health is well documented. Our prior research at the HCHDS extended the research literature by finding an association between residential segregation and healthcare utilization. Using data from the 2006 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, we found that persons living in minority communities had less access to physician care, and used fewer physician, non-physician, mental health, cardiac and diabetes services compared to persons living in majority white communities. However, beyond the racial and ethnic composition of communities little is known about the mechanisms that govern these associations. This project seeks to describe the relationship between "place" and racial disparities in healthcare use. We want to advance our research by understanding the dynamics of "place". What are the characteristics of minority communities that produce disparities in health and healthcare use? This research project proposes three specific aims to answer the question: Why does place matter? Specific Aim 1) To determine if the association between the racial/ethnic composition of neighborhoods and healthcare use can be explained by variations in healthcare provider availability. Specific Aim 2) To examine whether the healthcare use of individuals changes as the racial/ethnic composition of their census tracts changes over time. Specific Aim 3) To determine whether the level of private investment in a community impacts health and healthcare utilization.