TY - JOUR
T1 - Access to Health Services Among Young Adult Gay Men in New York City
AU - Griffin-Tomas, Marybec
AU - Cahill, Sean
AU - Kapadia, Farzana
AU - Halkitis, Perry N.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2019.
PY - 2019/1/1
Y1 - 2019/1/1
N2 - This research is a cross-sectional study of young adult gay men (YAGM), ages 18 to 29, that aims to understand their health-care access including: having a primary care provider (PCP), frequency of health-care visits, and instances of foregone health care. Surveys were conducted with a modified time-space sample of 800 YAGM in New York City (NYC). Surveys were conducted between November 2015 and June 2016. This study examined associations between sociodemographic characteristics and health-care access using multivariable logistic regression models. In multivariable logistic regression models, there were higher odds of having a PCP among participants enrolled in school (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 1.85, 95% CI [1.18, 2.91], p <.01) and covered by insurance (AOR = 21.29, 95% CI [11.77, 38.53], p <.001). Modeling indicated higher odds of more than one health visit in the past 12 months for non-White participants (AOR = 2.27, 95% CI [1.43, 3.63], p <.001), those covered by insurance (AOR = 3.10, 95% CI [1.06, 9.04], p <.05), and those who disclosed their sexual orientation to their PCP (AOR = 2.99, 95% CI [1.58, 5.69], p <.001). Participants with insurance were less likely to report instances of foregone care (AOR = 0.21, 95% CI [0.21, 0.13], p <.001). Understanding the facilitators and barriers to health-care access among YAGM populations is of critical importance, as many YAGM between the ages of 18 and 29 are establishing their access to health care without parental guidance. Health-care access, including the decision to forego care, can represent a missed opportunity for primary prevention and early diagnosis of health issues, as well as more effective, less invasive, and less costly treatments.
AB - This research is a cross-sectional study of young adult gay men (YAGM), ages 18 to 29, that aims to understand their health-care access including: having a primary care provider (PCP), frequency of health-care visits, and instances of foregone health care. Surveys were conducted with a modified time-space sample of 800 YAGM in New York City (NYC). Surveys were conducted between November 2015 and June 2016. This study examined associations between sociodemographic characteristics and health-care access using multivariable logistic regression models. In multivariable logistic regression models, there were higher odds of having a PCP among participants enrolled in school (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 1.85, 95% CI [1.18, 2.91], p <.01) and covered by insurance (AOR = 21.29, 95% CI [11.77, 38.53], p <.001). Modeling indicated higher odds of more than one health visit in the past 12 months for non-White participants (AOR = 2.27, 95% CI [1.43, 3.63], p <.001), those covered by insurance (AOR = 3.10, 95% CI [1.06, 9.04], p <.05), and those who disclosed their sexual orientation to their PCP (AOR = 2.99, 95% CI [1.58, 5.69], p <.001). Participants with insurance were less likely to report instances of foregone care (AOR = 0.21, 95% CI [0.21, 0.13], p <.001). Understanding the facilitators and barriers to health-care access among YAGM populations is of critical importance, as many YAGM between the ages of 18 and 29 are establishing their access to health care without parental guidance. Health-care access, including the decision to forego care, can represent a missed opportunity for primary prevention and early diagnosis of health issues, as well as more effective, less invasive, and less costly treatments.
KW - barriers
KW - facilitators
KW - foregone care
KW - gay men
KW - health-care access
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U2 - 10.1177/1557988318818683
DO - 10.1177/1557988318818683
M3 - Article
C2 - 30569800
AN - SCOPUS:85062282795
SN - 1557-9883
VL - 13
JO - American Journal of Men's Health
JF - American Journal of Men's Health
IS - 1
ER -