I Can’t Get No: Satisfaction With Care, Socioeconomic Status, and Race

• In Event: 231 - Section on Sociology of Population Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 03. Issues in Population Health, Disability, and Care

Abstract

Using two years (2013, 2014) of nationally representative data from the National Health Interview Survey, I assessed the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on odds of being satisfied with healthcare received in past 12 months among white, black, Latino, and Asian adults (18-64) within the U.S. Satisfaction was less likely among low SES adults, when using insurance and education proxies, but more likely when using family income. Among covariates poorer health behaviors and increased access to healthcare predict increased odds of satisfaction. Evidence from models including race/SES interaction effects show positive significant interactions for Asians and Latinos among proxies for income, family safety net benefits, and insurance status. My findings suggest that education and insurance status influences on satisfaction continue to be salient after accounting for demographic, healthcare access, use, and health behavior characteristics. Additionally, I find that Asians and Latinos differ from whites in the extant to which SES influences satisfaction with healthcare. As patient satisfaction is viewed as a crucial component in care seeking behavior and treatment adherence, the findings from this study can potentially be used to inform practitioners of existing differences in satisfaction and inform policymakers of one prospective pathway to reducing health disparities.

Author

• Raeven Faye Chandler, Pennsylvania State University