"Immigrants and Health Care: Sources of Vulnerability," Health Affairs: The study -- by Kathryn Pitkin Derose, a health policy researcher at RAND in Santa Monica, Calif.; José Escarce, a professor in the departments of Medicine, General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research at the University of California-Los Angeles; and Nicole Lurie, a senior natural scientist and professor at RAND in Arlington, Va. -- examined why immigrants have an increased risk for having poor health outcomes and receiving inadequate health services. According to the study, factors that affect immigrants' vulnerability to poor health and inadequate quality of care include socioeconomic background, immigration status, limited English proficiency, welfare reform, location of residence, and stigma and marginalization. Researchers recommended expanding health insurance coverage, addressing limited English language skills, expanding and strengthening the health care safety net and revising restrictions on immigrants' eligibility in public health insurance programs (Pitkin Derose et al., Health Affairs, September/October 2007).

A webcast of a Health Affairs-sponsored panel on health insurance and vulnerable populations is available online at kaisernetwork.org.