Biomedical subjects

N Pourat

Publications and source records attributed to N Pourat.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Postadmission disparities in nursing home stays of whites and minority elderly.

This study examined the type of nursing home stay of white and minority elderly and investigated whether minority differences in nursing home admissions were extended to the type of stay, and if so, what accounted for those differences. African American/white and Latino/white elderly were compared with respect to stays of (1) longer than three months, (2) shorter than three months and discharged alive (recovery), and (3) shorter than three months and deceased (terminal). African American elderly in nursing homes were significantly less likely to have recovery stays than were white elderly. Multivariate analysis revealed that this difference was due to Medicaid coverage. Overall, elderly with Medicaid coverage were more likely to make long-term stays in nursing homes. The findings highlight the importance of Medicaid coverage for short-term recovery nursing home stays. Reductions of benefits or restrictions in eligibility would negatively and disproportionately affect the nursing home stays of elderly African Americans.

Black or African American↗

PubMed2000

Asian American and Pacific Islander breast and cervical carcinoma screening rates and healthy people 2000 objectives.

BACKGROUND: Breast carcinoma is the number one cause of cancer-related mortality among Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women, and for certain subgroups cervical carcinoma is among the top three causes. Yet AAPI women have the lowest cancer screening and early detection rates of all ethnic groups. The practice of merging AAPI data hides significant variation among AAPI groups, and the groups at highest risk for late presentation of disease become invisible. To the authors' knowledge, this study is the first report of disaggregated national data for breast and cervical carcinoma screening in AAPI subpopulations. The authors used data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS 1993 and 1994) and evaluated major socioeconomic and access variables associated with screening practices. METHODS: Healthy People 2000 (HP2000) criteria were used to evaluate the most recent NHIS screening rates for AAPIs as one group and for six distinct subgroups compared with HP2000 criteria. The sample included 2756 non-Hispanic AAPI and 64,196 non-Hispanic white women age 18 years or older in the 1993 and 1994 NHIS. The effects of socioeconomic and access-to-care indicators on screening were explored. RESULTS: Breast and cervical carcinoma screening rates for AAPIs were below those for white women and well below national goals and guidelines. Lack of insurance, low income, and lack of a usual source of care had a significantly greater negative impact on AAPIs than on white women, indicating that AAPIs may be more vulnerable to structural barriers to cancer control efforts. CONCLUSIONS: AAPI women have very low rates of breast and cervical screening, which increases their chances of later stage disease presentation. To reach the Healthy People 2000 objectives, targeted efforts are needed to increase cancer screening among AAPI women overall and specific subgroups in particular.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Perceptions of health and use of ambulatory care: differences between Korean and White elderly.

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 both Koreans 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.

Aged↗

PubMed1999

Predictors of use of traditional Korean healers among elderly Koreans in Los Angeles.

Many ethnic groups are known to use traditional healers often in conjunction with Western biomedical medicine, thus combining treatment regimens and medical advice as they see fit. Awareness of the use of traditional healers is an increasingly salient issue due to the growing diversity and aging of the U.S. population. To explore the determinants of use of traditional healers, we studied demographics, health status, and social support networks of a representative sample of elderly Koreans in Los Angeles County, California. The results revealed that chronic conditions such as arthritis, lung disease, and stomach pain, fewer depressive symptoms, availability of health insurance, and stronger social networks were significant predictors of use of traditional healers. Better understanding reasons for and patterns of health care use may enhance the delivery of care to the heterogeneous elderly population by preventing potential treatment complications and increasing health providers' cultural sensitivity.

Aged↗

PubMed1998