Poster: Health Status and Health Service Utilization Among Older Legal Immigrants to the United States

The older immigrants, who now make up Americans fastest growing immigrant group, remain invisible in social work research literature. The purposes of this study are to examine the health status and health service utilization patterns of older adults who immigrate to the United States under the legal permanent residency (LPR) status by using nationally representative data. A modified version of the behavioral model of health services use for vulnerable populations will be used. Univariate and bivariate analyses were used to examine the health status and health service utilization patterns of older LPRs. The results indicate that the older LPRs are a vulnerable group facing many difficulties and should not be ignored in research, practice, and policy. The low health service utilization rate among older LPRs cannot be explained by lack of need. Geriatric service providers should be aware that this population is unlikely to return to their native countries. More research is needed to explore the barriers related to low health service use among this population