Residential Segregation, Neighborhood Health Care Organizations, and Children's Health Care Utilization in the Phoenix Urbanized Area

Abstract

Research has demonstrated health care consequences of racial/ethnic residential segregation. Here, I test one possible mechanism—the distribution of community health care organizations and service providers across urban communities. Using data from a 2013 survey on children's health care utilization in the Phoenix urbanized area combined with data on a 2013 census of health care organizations, I estimate a series of statistical models in order to test this relationship. I find that Latino and Native American segregation is related to a lower density of health care organizations. Furthermore, the lack of these resources increases the odds of a family using a clinic, versus a physician's office, which is a more ideal source of care. Finally, a higher rate of racial/ethnic clustering is also related to greater utilization of a clinic, as opposed to a physician's office, and this association is partially mitigated by distribution of health care organizations.