Healthcare Disparities in Hispanic Diabetes Care: A Propensity Score-Matched Study

Abstract

Hispanics represent the largest minority group in the US. Research has shown that the ethnic minority especially Hispanics have a disproportionate burden of illness associated with diabetes mellitus. However, many have been focused on small sample sizes with potential selection bias. This study aims to examine the ethnicity disparity in health care utilization and expenditures between Hispanic and non-Hispanics after controlling for confounding variables. Cross-sectional with propensity score-matched design. The study revealed that Hispanics with diabetes had higher poverty rates, lower education, less physical activity, and less health care utilization/expenditures than did non-Hispanics. The assessment of ethnicity differences in health care is challenging because of the potential biases that require careful adjustment. This study successfully identified and controlled for confounding bias and concluded the Hispanics disparity in health care utilization still exists.