Asian and white Californians have the best access to health care: study

Asian Americans in California have poor access to health care, according to a new report on how well the health care system is working for people of different races and ethnicities in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. was found to be ranked among the top in the nation in terms of quality and results.

The report, scheduled to be released Thursday by the nonprofit Commonwealth Fund, shows that Asian Americans in California rank higher than the rest of the nation's racial and ethnic groups, according to a scoring system based on 25 health indicators, including uninsured rates and mortality rates. It turned out that he was in the 89th percentile among his group. Common cancers, smoking and obesity rates, vaccination rates, cancer screening rates, etc.

This score is one of the highest in the nation, with only nine states rated higher for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) residents, according to the analysis. and highest among all racial and ethnic groups in California, followed by whites (87th percentile), Hispanics (45th percentile), blacks (39th percentile), and Alaska Native American Indians (17th percentile). Masu.

In most states, Asian American or white residents have the highest scores, which means they have lower overall quality and access to care than black, Hispanic, and American Indian residents, who score lower. It reflects excellence.

Based on the ranking of each state's highest scoring group, California ranked 16th among all U.S. states.

The findings help reinforce and quantify health disparities that have long existed in the United States, and are particularly concerning for Black and Native American people. Members of these communities have shorter life expectancies, are more likely to die from treatable diseases, and are at higher risk for many chronic diseases, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, than white or Hispanic people, the report says. Pointed out.

Nationally, white residents of Washington, D.C., had the highest scores (100th percentile), followed by Asian Americans in Massachusetts and white residents of Rhode Island (both 99th percentile), then Massachusetts and Connecticut. of white residents (both 98th percentile) followed.

American Indians had the lowest scores, in the 1st percentile in South Dakota and in the 2nd percentile in North Dakota and Alaska.

Even in states with the highest scores in all groups, such as Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, there is a gap between the best-performing group, which is predominantly white, and the lowest-performing group, which is predominantly white. There was a large disparity.

In California, the analysis found that the gap between Asian Americans, the group with the highest health care system scores, and American Indians, the group with the lowest scores, was particularly stark and wider than in other Western states. found.

“California's disparities are particularly high,” said report co-author Arnab Shah, a senior fellow at the Commonwealth Fund, which tracks trends in the health care industry.

The report does not attempt to answer why these disparities exist or why they are more pronounced in some states than others. However, factors such as education, income, neighborhood, housing stability, and safety-net insurance coverage are likely contributing, allowing policymakers to invest in the right areas to improve care. , the report authors said it would be helpful to know which groups receive higher quality care than others. For the most vulnerable.

“Racial and ethnic disparities exist in every state,” said co-author Dr. Laurie Zephirin, senior vice president for health equity advancement at the Commonwealth Fund. “When we think about improving health outcomes, we need to put equity at the center of the conversation if we are to address the impact on the most marginalized populations.”

Contact Catherine Ho: cho@sfchronicle.com