Access to health-care and preventive services among Hispanics and non-Hispanics--United States, 2001-2002

Although Hispanics are the largest ethnic minority population in the United States, they are underserved by the health-care system. Hispanics are less likely to seek and receive health-care services, which might contribute to their poorer health status and higher rates of morbidity and mortality. To assess differences in access to health-care and preventive services between Hispanics and non-Hispanics, CDC analyzed 2001-2002 data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) surveys. This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicated that disparities exist in access to health-care and preventive services among Hispanics versus non-Hispanics. Public health authorities and health-care providers should implement strategies to reduce barriers to health-care and preventive services among Hispanics.