Health Insurance Coverage Among Working Latinos in California, 2001

To learn why Latinos often lack health insurance in California, this survey interviewed a sample of employed Hispanics in that state. Respondents were interviewed about their health status, health insurance coverage, access to health care, and health care utilization. For insured respondents, the survey measured satisfaction with one's current health plan and collected information on the plan type, length of coverage with the plan, and the plan's co-pays and deductibles. Uninsured respondents were asked why they did not have health insurance, if they had tried to obtain insurance in the past year, how long it was since they last had coverage, whether or not their employer offered health insurance, and what they would expect to pay for it. Additionally, the survey gauged attitudes regarding control of one's fate, acceptability of community and free-care clinics as sources for care, the desirability of getting regular check-ups, and health insurance as a good versus a bad value for the money. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics collected by the survey include age, sex, household size, educational attainment, religious preference, county of birth, ancestry, citizenship, number of years in the United States, ability to speak English, income, number of jobs held, size of employer (number of employees), length of time at job, industry, occupation, and labor union membership.