PolicyLab

A study published by PolicyLab’s Katherine Yun and colleagues shows significant differences in how children access and use health care, especially preventative check-ups and dental services, based on their parents’ immigration status. The study found differences in utilization among subgroups of immigrant families, including previously legalized, mixed-status, refugee, temporary resident, or undocumented families. Dr. Yun’s research suggests that policymakers, health systems, and social services could better serve children in immigrant families by examining their specific parental immigration history. It also emphasized the stark need for improvement in preventive dental care utilization among all populations of children in immigrant families. The abstract is available here.