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Perceptions of Health and Use of Ambulatory Care

Differences between Korean and White Elderly

James Lubben, PhD

Hongjian Yu, PhD

Steven Wallace, PhD

University of California, Los Angeles

This study identifies whether culturally based differences in perceptions of health resulted in differences in ambulatory care use among the elderly. Methods:The authors conducted stratified Poisson regressions on data from a 1992 survey of older Koreans and Whites in Los Angeles County. The models included measures of demographics, health, functioning, income, insurance, social support, and culture (perceptions of health or other beliefs). Results:Descriptive findings showed older Koreans had more ambulatory physician visits, poorer functioning, and poorer perceptions of their health than Whites. Multivariate findings showed that positive perceptions of health independently reduced office visits for bothKoreans and Whites, but the effect was significantly smaller for Koreans. Other cultural differences also affected use. Discussion:The findings highlight differences between older Koreans and Whites’ responses to physical and socioeconomic conditions and the importance of cultural sensitivity in the health care delivery system.

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