Health Insurance Coverage of Mexican American Families in the U.S.

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Abstract
This article examines the impact of the employment context and family structure on the health insurance status of Mexican families. Data from the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey were used to (a) examine the differences in the extent of family coverage among Latino families in the U.S., (b) determine whether differences in the residential distribution of these families is responsible for these differences, and (c) assess the impact of family characteristics and the employment context on the health insurance status of Mexican and non-Latino White families within and across residential groups. Although residential differences existed in both the way Latino families access health insurance and in the impact of family characteristics and the employment context on the odds of having family coverage, it was not found to explain the difference in health insurance. The extended family had a significant impact on the odds of having no one insured in the family versus having everyone insured.