Local-Level Immigration Enforcement and Risk of Pediatric Hospitalization for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions.
- Resource Type
- Article
- Authors
- Fernández-Rhodes, Lindsay; White, Michelle J.
- Source
- Journal of Immigrant & Minority Health. Apr2022, Vol. 24 Issue 2, p309-317. 9p.
- Subject
- *OUTPATIENT medical care
*EMIGRATION & immigration
*PEDIATRICS
*HOSPITAL care of newborn infants
*HOSPITAL care of children
- Language
- ISSN
- 1557-1912
Immigration enforcement may disrupt access to health care, potentially increasing hospitalizations for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSC). We aimed to assess the effect of local-level 287(g) immigration enforcement on North Carolina pediatric ACSC hospitalizations. Pediatric (< 19 year) ACSC hospitalizations were identified based on ICD-9 codes. We compared ACSC hospitalizations pre and post 287(g) implementation using a difference-in-difference analysis of Fiscal Year (FY)2006-2009 data. We used multi-level models to assess the effects of 287(g) programs on ACSC hospitalizations during FY2011-2015. Difference-in-difference analyses showed that ACSC hospitalizations increased by more than 2.48% in the year following 287(g) implementation (95% CI: 0.99%, 3.97%). Among the counties that had ever implemented a 287(g) program, the ACSC-increasing effect of an active 287(g) program was greatest in counties with a shorter tenure of their 287(g) program and for Hispanic/Latino children/adolescents. Our findings underscore the importance of describing the effects of local-level immigration enforcement on pediatric access to care and potentially avoidable hospitalizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]