Race, Ethnicity & Medical Care - A Survey of Public

Chart Pack

Race, Ethnicity & Medical CareA Survey of Public Perceptions and Experiences

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

October 1999

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, based in Menlo Park, California, is an independent national health carephilanthropy and is not associated with Kaiser Permanente or Kaiser Industries.

Chart 1

“How Big a Problem is Racism in Different Areas?”

Major Problem Minor Problem Not a Problem

41%

59%

21%

42%

30%

54%

16%

8%

21%

Latinos Say

AfricanAmericans

Say

Whites Say

THE WORK PLACE

HOUSING

EDUCATION

HEALTH CARE

* Don’t knows not shown

30%

35%

16%

45%

45%

52%

22%

15%

25%

Latinos Say

AfricanAmericans

Say

Whites Say

41%

59%

30%

38%

28%

48%

17%

11%

17%

Latinos Say

AfricanAmericans

Say

Whites Say

40%

50%

27%

38%

36%

47%

21%

13%

24%

Latinos Say

AfricanAmericans

Say

Whites Say

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation Survey of Race, Ethnicity and Medical Care: Public Perceptions and Experiences, October 1999 (Conducted July - Sept, 1999)

“How Do You Think the Average African AmericanCompares to the Average White Person in Terms of…?”

Awareof thediffer-ences

INFANT MORTALITY

Whites Say

Not awareof thedifferences

45% 54%

“just as well off” (39%)“better off” (6%)“don’t know” (9%)

African Americans Say

say “worse off”



say “worse off”42% 58%


LIFE EXPECTANCY

Whites Say


43% 57%


say ”worse off”



say “worse off”

46% 53%

say...

Chart 2

say...


say...

say...




Facts: In 1997, black infant mortality was 2 ½ times higher than white (14.2 per 1,000 black infants bornversus 6.0 per 1,000 white infants born), and blacks in 1996, on average, lived 6.6 years less than whites.

“How Do You Think the Average African AmericanCompares to the Average White Person in Terms of…?”


GETTING ROUTINE MEDICAL CARE WHEN THEY NEED IT

Whites Say


27%72%



say “worse off”





HAVING HEALTH INSURANCE

Whites Say


43% 57%


say “worse off”



say “worse off”59%

41%

say...

Chart 3

say...


say...

say...




“How Do You Think the Average LatinoCompares to the Average White Person in Terms of…?”


Whites Say


33% 66%


Latinos Say

say “worse off”





Whites Say


48% 52%

Latinos Say

say “worse off”




say...

Chart 4

say...


say...

say...



GETTING ROUTINE MEDICAL CARE WHEN THEY NEED IT

HAVING HEALTH INSURANCE


Chart 5

Perceptions of Quality of Care Others Receive Compared toWhites When Getting Health Care Services

64%

23%

27%

67%

3%

1%

African AmericansSay

Whites Say

African Americans receivelower quality

African Americans receivesame quality

African Americans receivehigher quality

56%

27%

38%

59%

5%

3%

Latinos Say

Whites Say

Latinos receivelower quality

Latinos receivesame quality

Latinos receivehigher quality



41%

61%

56%

33%


Whites Say

True False

“African Americans with heart disease are just as likely as whites whohave heart disease to get specialized medical procedures and surgery”

Chart 6

Perceptions of African Americans’ Access to SpecificTreatments Compared to Whites



“Whites with HIV or AIDS are more likely than African Americans withHIV or AIDS to get the newest medicines and treatments”

Chart 7

Perceptions of African Americans’ Access to HIV/AIDSTreatments Compared to Whites



64%

43%

29%

47%


Whites Say

True False

Chart 8

“How Often Does Race or Ethnic Background AffectWhether a Person Can Get. . .?”

Very/Somewhat Often Not Too Often/Never Don’t know

ROUTINE MEDICAL CARE WHEN THEY NEED IT

HEALTH INSURANCE TO PAY FOR MEDICAL CARE

SPECIALIZED TREATMENTS OR SURGERY WHEN THEY NEED IT

62%

48%

45%

34%

4%

4%

8%

51%

44%

Latinos Say


Whites Say

60%

47%

40%

36%

3%

3%

7%

56%

45%

Latinos Say


Whites Say


62%

46%

41%

35%

4%

3%

6%

54%

47%

Latinos Say


Whites Say

Chart 9

“How Often Do You Think Our Health Care SystemTreats People Unfairly Based On...?”

HOW MUCH MONEY THEY HAVE

Very/Somewhat Often Not Too Often/Never Don’t Know

64%

72%

70%

32%

25%

26%

4%

3%

4%

Latinos Say


Whites Say

WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE

WHETHER THEY ARE MALE OR FEMALE

HOW WELL THEY SPEAK ENGLISH

WHAT THEIR RACE / ETHNIC BACKGROUND IS

WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE OVERWEIGHT

69%

72%

69%

28%

24%

24%

3%

4%

7%

Latinos Say


Whites Say

32%

34%

26%

65%

59%

67%

4%

7%

7%

Latinos Say


Whites Say

72%

55%

57%

26%

37%

30%

2%

8%

13%

Latinos Say


Whites Say

51%

56%

46%

43%

38%

43%

5%

5%

11%

Latinos Say


Whites Say

50%

48%

36%

40%

44%

51%

10%

8%

13%

Latinos Say


Whites Say


Chart 10

Personal Experiences With the Health Care System

THEIR ABILITY TO PAY FOR THE CARE

THE TYPE OF HEALTH INSURANCE THEY HAVEOR BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE HEALTHINSURANCE

Percent who say that they have felt that a doctor or health provider judgedthem unfairly or treated them with disrespect because of ...

THEIR RACE OR ETHNIC BACKGROUND

HOW WELL THEY SPEAK ENGLISH

Whites Say


Latinos Say

Whites Say


Latinos Say

Whites Say


Latinos Say

Whites Say


Latinos Say21%

20%

14%

16%

10%

9%



14%

15%

5%

12%

1%

1%

Chart 11

Experience With Being Treated Unfairly When SeekingMedical Care Because of Race or Ethnic Background

HAVE YOU?

A FAMILY MEMBER?

A FRIEND OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW?

Percent Saying YesYes to any: You, a family member, afriend or someone you know was treatedunfairly because of race/ethnicbackground when getting medical care

Whites Say


Latinos Say

Whites Say


Latinos Say

Whites Say


Latinos Say

Whites Say


Latinos Say

25%

21%

13%

27%

18%

14%

13%

4%

1%

36%

35%

15%



Chart 12

“For the Average African American, How Big a Problem is…?”

BEING ABLE TO AFFORD THE COST OF HEALTH INSURANCE AND NECESSARY MEDICAL CARE

HAVING ENOUGH DOCTORS AND OTHER HEALTH PROVIDERS NEAR WHERE THEY LIVE

HAVING DIFFICULTY GETTING CARE BECAUSE OF THEIR RACE OR ETHNIC BACKGROUND


26%

35%

38%

17%

28%

3%

8%

45%African

Americans Say

Whites Say

18%

15%

30%

3%

5%

40% 42%

47%

AfricanAmericans Say

Whites Say


Don’t Know

47%

23%

36%

5%

11%

1%

5%

71%African

Americans Say

Whites Say

Chart 13

“For the Average Latino, How Big a Problem is…?”

BEING ABLE TO AFFORD THE COST OF HEALTH INSURANCE AND NECESSARY MEDICAL CARE

HAVING ENOUGH DOCTORS AND OTHER HEALTH PROVIDERS NEAR WHERE THEY LIVE

HAVING DIFFICULTY GETTING CARE BECAUSE OF THEIR RACE OR ETHNIC BACKGROUND


21%

31%

37%

32%

29%

4%

13%

33%Latinos Say

Whites Say

17%

24%

30%

4%

11%

28% 44%

42%

Latinos Say

Whites Say


Don’t Know

47%

24%

28%

9%

14%

4%

11%

63%Latinos Say

Whites Say

Chart 14

Concern that in the Future When Seeking Medical Care“You or a Family Member will be treated Unfairly

Specifically Because of Your Race or Ethnic Background”

65%

22%

42%

33%

58%

76%

Latinos Say


Whites Say

Very/Somewhat concerned Not too/Not at all concerned



The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation2400 Sand Hill Road

Menlo Park, CA 94025

650-854-9400 Facsimile: 650-854-4800

Washington Office:1450 G Street N.W., Suite 250

Washington, DC 20005

202-347-5270 Facsimile 202-347-5274

http://www.kff.org

Additional free copies of this report (#1528) are available on our website or throughour publication request line at 800-656-4533.

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Race, Ethnicity & Medical Care - A Survey of Public