2012/12/04 by Jie Chen, Arturo Vargas Bustamante, Alexander N. Ortega · 30 citations
Economics, Econometrics and Finance · Psychology · Medicine · Nursing · #Healthcare Policy and Management #Healthcare Systems and Reforms #Migration, Health and Trauma #Asian americans #Socioeconomic status #Asian Indian #Health care #Medicine #Multivariate analysis #Health equity #Gerontology #Demography #Environmental health #Ethnic group #Public health #Political science #Economic growth #Economics #Population #Sociology #Nursing
paper · doi:10.1177/1077558712465773
published in Medical Care Research and Review 70(3), 310-329 (SAGE Publishing)
openalex publication_date 2012/12/04 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
Using two nationally representative data sets, this study examined health care expenditure disparities between Caucasians and different Asian American subgroups. Multivariate analyses demonstrate that Asian Americans, as a group, have significantly lower total expenditures compared with Caucasians. Results also point to considerable heterogeneities in health care spending within Asian American subgroups. Findings suggest that language assistance programs would be effective in reducing disparities among Caucasians and Asian American subgroups with the exception of Indians and Filipinos, who tend to be more proficient in English. Results also indicate that citizenship and nativity were major factors associated with expenditure disparities. Socioeconomic status, however, could not explain expenditure disparities. Results also show that Asian Americans have lower physician and pharmaceutical costs but not emergency department or hospital expenditures. These findings suggest the need for culturally competent policies specific to Asian American subgroups and the necessity to encourage cost-effective treatments among Asian Americans.