Nativity and Occupational Class Disparities in Uninsurance and Routine Preventive Care Use Among Asian Americans

Using data from 1,530 Asian respondents of the 2002–2003 National Latino and Asian American Study, we examined how nativity and occupational class are associated with uninsurance, no routine physical check-up in the past year and no dental/eye exam use in the past year using weighted multivariate logistic regression models. Recent immigrants had increased odds of uninsurance and no dental/eye exam use than US-born Asians which became nonsignificant after controlling for occupational class and covariates. Unemployed and service workers had increased odds of uninsurance than white-collar workers even after controlling for income and limited English proficiency (LEP). Approximately 35–40 % of blue-collar and service workers reported neither type of preventive care use. Even after controlling for LEP, income, uninsurance, having a regular doctor or place of care, service workers had significantly increased odds of no physical check-up and no dental/eye exam use and blue-collar workers had marginally significant increased odds of no dental/eye exam use. Significant occupational disparities exist in access and preventive care use with workers in service occupations being particularly underserved.