38
Typeofhealthcare serviceused
Mexicans usepublichealth centers
and clinicsmoreoften
TheUnitedStates offers awide varietyof health care
services, including private practices, community cli-
nics and other health centers. Nevertheless, the type
of service used is linked to the user’s socio-economic
level, which varies according to place of origin, eth-
nicity or race. People treated by private physicians
haveagreater likelihoodof receivingmore specialized
and personalized care, while those using community
health centersor clinicsgenerally receivepreventative
and primary care services that are less individualized
due toa larger number of patients per doctor.
Mexican immigrants thatdohavea regularplace
for health care tend to use health centers or clinics, a
trend thathas recently increased to56%. Thisfigure is
higher than thatofCentral Americans (34%) andover
twice that of immigrants from other regions (22%)
andnon-HispanicUS-bornwhites (21%) (Figure24).
An analysis of data by gender shows that
Mexican women use community health centers and
clinics more than men (60% and 52%, respectively)
(Figure 25). This may be the result of uninsured
women seekingprenatal and reproductivehealthcare
at community clinicswhere they can receive services
at lowor no cost.
Source: Migration Policy Bureau, SEGOB, based on U.S. State Health Access Data Assistance Center,
National
Health Interview Survey
(NHIS), 2004-2005 and 2012-2013. Integrated Health Interview Series. Minneapolis:
University ofMinnesota.
Figure23. PopulationofUnitedStateswithout ausual sourceof care,
by regionof originandethnicityor race, basedongender, 2004-2005and2012-2013
migration & health •
mexican immigrants in the us: a 10 year perspective
