Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Access to Health Insurance and Health Care

Racial and ethnic groups in the United States continue to experience major disparities in health status. Compared to the majority non-Latino white population, racial and ethnic minorities bear a disproportionate burden of mortality and morbidity across a wide range of health conditions. These disparities in health status are compounded by reduced access to health care services. Although many factors affect health status, the lack of health insurance and other barriers to obtaining health services diminish racial and ethnic minorities’ utilization of preventive services and medical treatments that could reduce disease and contribute to improved health status. This report examines disparities in health insurance coverage and access to physician services across major racial and ethnic groups and subgroups in the United States. To examine the relationship of ethnicity and other factors on health insurance coverage and on access to health services, we analyzed two population-based surveys, the Current Population Survey and the National Health Interview Survey.