Research Article

Declining health insurance access among US hispanic workers: Not all jobs are created equal

  1. Kathryn E. McCollister PhD1,*,
  2. Kristopher L. Arheart EdD1,
  3. David J. Lee PhD1,
  4. Lora E. Fleming MD, PhD, MPH1,
  5. Evelyn P. Davila MPH1,
  6. William G. LeBlanc PhD1,
  7. Sharon L. Christ MS2,
  8. Alberto J. Caban-Martinez MPH1,
  9. Jonathan P. West PhD1,
  10. John E. Clark III PhD1,
  11. Michael J. Erard PhD3

Article first published online: 29 JUN 2009

DOI: 10.1002/ajim.20720

Issue

American Journal of Industrial Medicine

American Journal of Industrial Medicine

Special Issue: Occupational Health Disparities

Volume 53, Issue 2, pages 163–170, February 2010

Additional Information

How to Cite

McCollister, K. E., Arheart, K. L., Lee, D. J., Fleming, L. E., Davila, E. P., LeBlanc, W. G., Christ, S. L., Caban-Martinez, A. J., West, J. P., Clark, J. E. and Erard, M. J. (2010), Declining health insurance access among US hispanic workers: Not all jobs are created equal. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 53: 163–170. doi: 10.1002/ajim.20720

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer, Miami, Florida

  2. 2

    University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

  3. 3

    Freelance Editor, Portland, Maine

*Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, 1120 NW 14th Street, 10th Floor (R669), Miami, FL 33136.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 21 JAN 2010
  2. Article first published online: 29 JUN 2009
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 14 MAY 2009

Funded by

  • NIOSH. Grant Number: R01 0H03915

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Keywords:

  • health insurance;
  • Hispanic workers;
  • health disparities;
  • healthcare utilization;
  • occupation

Abstract

Introduction

Approximately 18% of the U.S. population are uninsured, a proportion that may continue to rise, particularly among Hispanics, as the cost of medical care increases faster than the growth in wages.

Methods

Health insurance trends were analyzed by race–ethnic category, and among Hispanic workers by occupation type and industrial sector, using data on employed respondents ≥18 years from 1997 to 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) (mean annual n = 17,392, representing 123 million US workers on average over this 11 year period).

Results

From 1997 to 2007, the relative decline in health insurance coverage for US workers was greatest among Hispanics (7.0%). Hispanic workers in the Construction and Services industries had the greatest overall decline in coverage (24.9% and 14.7%), as well as Hispanic blue collar workers (14.0%).

Conclusion

Hispanic workers in general, and those employed in blue collar, construction, and services sectors in particular, are at greater risk for poor access to health care due to a lack of health insurance coverage. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:163–170 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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