Patterns of perceived barriers to medical care in older adults: a latent class analysis

Table 1 Description of Sample.

Study Variables	Mean or Percent
Predisposing characteristics
Age (years), mean (SD)	64.3 (0.7)
Male, %	45.6
Married, %	79.7
Education (years), mean (SD)	13.8 (2.4)
Individual-level enabling characteristics
Total annual household income (USD), mean (SD)	$66,572 ($83,039)
Health insurance
Any private insurance, %	86.6
Public insurance only, %	10.1
No insurance, %	3.3
County-level enabling characteristics
Large metropolitan, %	33.7
Small metropolitan, %	38.0
Micropolitan, %	15.0
Rural (non-core), %	13.3
Need characteristics
Number of diagnosed conditions, mean (SD)	3.1 (2.3)
Depressive symptomatology, %	15.1
Any ambulation limitations, %	7.3
Any dexterity limitations, %	2.1
Any cognitive limitations, %	25.4
Any pain limitations, %	42.8
Any speech limitations, %	2.0
Any hearing limitations, %	3.9
Perceived access to health care items
...emergency care, %	4.8
...hospital care, %	3.2
...prescription services, %	3.7
...specialty care, %	4.9
...mental health care, %	8.6
...convenience of office location, %	10.3
...advice by phone, %	23.7
...phone appointments, %	5.7
...wait for appointment, %	19.7
...time in waiting room, %	18.8
...time with doctor, %	12.7
...affordability, %	31.9
...doctor is honest, %	2.3
...doctor pays attention, %	3.8
...doctor shares embarrassing info., %	3.6
Latent class validation items
Flu shot... %	62.9
Cholesterol screening... %	78.6
High blood pressure screening... %	93.5
Routine physical exam...%	77.2
Unmet medical need... %	8.5

N = 5,465. Depressive symptomatology was measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies - Depression (CES-D) scale. Perceived access items were drawn primarily from the Group Health Association of America's Consumer Satisfaction Survey. Each item begins with the stem, "Thinking about your own health care, how would you rate..." Response categories for perceived access to health care items (Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor) were collapsed as follows: 1 = Fair/Poor, 0 = Good, Very Good, Excellent. Use of preventative services measures were used to validate latent class membership and these questions asked if the patient had received the service in the past 12 months or had unmet medical need in the past 12 months.

ISSN: 1472-6963