Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Utilization and Outcomes Among United States Immigrants

The United States has the world's largest immigrant population. Studies before COVID-19 revealed that immigrants in the U.S. faced more significant healthcare access barriers than U.S.-born citizens. The pandemic may have intensified these challenges, though most research has focused primarily on large immigrant groups, specific regions, or anecdotal accounts rather than evaluating empirical data across all immigrant populations. This study addresses this gap by examining whether the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted healthcare utilization and outcomes among immigrants compared to U.S.-born citizens. We analyzed secondary data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (2018 to 2021). Binary logistic regressions were employed to address the study's research questions. Immigrant status was associated with lower odds of healthcare use than among U.S.-born individuals. However, they self-reported better health status. During the pandemic, overall emergency visits, hospital discharges, and self-reported health status declined among all U.S. residents. The pandemic effect on healthcare utilization and outcomes was consistent across the study population. Age, sex, marital status, insurance, family income, and chronic conditions significantly influence healthcare use and outcomes. The pandemic did not disproportionately impact immigrants' healthcare utilization and outcomes in the short term. Future research should explore potential disparities emerging in the post-pandemic period to inform policy solutions addressing immigrants' healthcare access barriers.