ABSTRACT
The first national estimates of health care utilization among Hispanics by national origin were produced in 1984 from data gleaned in the National Health Interview Survey of 1978-1980. Puerto Ricans were the least likely of the some Hispanic populations to have private health insurance but were considerably more likely to have public health insurance coverage. Hispanics with private insurance coverage are much more likely than other Hispanics to report that their health status is excellent or very good. Sixty-six percent of the Mexican Americans, 76 percent of the Cuban Americans, and 66 percent of the Puerto Ricans with private health insurance were found to be employed. The Puerto Rican population was found to be five-and-one-half times more likely to receive Medicaid coverage than were Mexican Americans and five times more likely to receive it than were Cuban Americans.
