The Mexican American Elderly and Supplemental Security Income: Reasons and Characteristics AssociatedWith Nonuse

Abstract

Using a national data set, this project examines the underutilization of formal services by older ethnic minorities. Specifically, the project reveals that olderMexican Americans, although likely to report income below the official poverty line, report low utilization rates of Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Analysis further reveals that among older Mexican Americans who are eligible to receive SSI, those participants who had used another formal program in the previous year, had at least some formal education, lived with others, and/or reported that too many medical bills was a problem were statistically less likely to use SSI. Furthermore, the most commonly reported reasons for not using SSI were lack of knowledge and previous feelings of discrimination or mistreatment by SSI representatives and other formal providers.