Faculty mentor/PI email address
mancusoa@rowan.edu
Is your research Teaching and Learning based?
1
Keywords
Pediatric primary care access, Hispanic children, mixed-status households, immigrant families, language concordance, insurance navigation, NJ FamilyCare, continuity of care, health care disparities, South Jersey
Date of Presentation
5-6-2026 12:00 AM
Poster Abstract
BACKGROUND: High-quality primary care is essential to a strong health system, yet many Hispanic children in mixed-status households face barriers that limit consistent access to pediatric care. In New Jersey, many immigrant families remain uninsured or under-enrolled in public insurance programs despite eligibility. These barriers are shaped not only by insurance and clinic availability, but also by language discordance, fear related to immigration status, and limited trust in the health care system. This project examines the intersecting barriers that affect pediatric primary care access for Hispanic children in mixed-status households in South Jersey.
METHODS: We conducted a literature review using peer-reviewed literature and state-level health data published between 2004 and 2025. Databases and sources included PubMed, SageJournals, and the New Jersey State Health Assessment Data (NJSHAD). Search terms included “language concordance,” “Hispanic,” “primary care,” and “mixed-status households.” Regional analysis emphasized South Jersey counties, particularly Cumberland County, where higher percentages of uninsured residents under age 19 have been reported.
RESULTS: Findings suggest that pediatric primary care access for Hispanic children in mixed-status households is limited by multiple interacting barriers. New Jersey ranks near the bottom nationally in investment in primary care teams, and approximately 14% of immigrants in the state are uninsured. Many children who qualify for NJ FamilyCare remain unenrolled because of fear, confusion, and “chilling effects” related to legal status. Language concordance was associated with greater trust and improved patient autonomy, while overreliance on remote interpreters may increase social distance in clinical encounters. In addition, continuity of care in health centers was associated with lower odds of emergency room utilization, reinforcing the protective value of stable primary care relationships.
CONCLUSION: This review demonstrates that barriers to pediatric primary care in mixed-status Hispanic households are structural, linguistic, and relational. Improving access requires more than insurance eligibility alone. Potential interventions include increasing Medicaid primary care reimbursement to strengthen the safety-net workforce, improving NJ FamilyCare outreach with clear confidentiality messaging, expanding the use of well-trained certified medical interpreters, and developing medical-legal partnerships to help families navigate legal and systemic barriers. Addressing these issues may improve continuity of care and reduce inequities affecting Hispanic children in South Jersey.
Disciplines
Primary Care | Pediatrics | Hispanic Health | Immigrant Health | Public Health | Health Equity | Health Disparities | Community Health | Social Determinants of Health | Medicine and Health Sciences
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences | Population Health | Public Health
Included in
Left Waiting: Pediatric Primary Care Access for Hispanic Children in Mixed Status Households in South Jersey
BACKGROUND: High-quality primary care is essential to a strong health system, yet many Hispanic children in mixed-status households face barriers that limit consistent access to pediatric care. In New Jersey, many immigrant families remain uninsured or under-enrolled in public insurance programs despite eligibility. These barriers are shaped not only by insurance and clinic availability, but also by language discordance, fear related to immigration status, and limited trust in the health care system. This project examines the intersecting barriers that affect pediatric primary care access for Hispanic children in mixed-status households in South Jersey.
METHODS: We conducted a literature review using peer-reviewed literature and state-level health data published between 2004 and 2025. Databases and sources included PubMed, SageJournals, and the New Jersey State Health Assessment Data (NJSHAD). Search terms included “language concordance,” “Hispanic,” “primary care,” and “mixed-status households.” Regional analysis emphasized South Jersey counties, particularly Cumberland County, where higher percentages of uninsured residents under age 19 have been reported.
RESULTS: Findings suggest that pediatric primary care access for Hispanic children in mixed-status households is limited by multiple interacting barriers. New Jersey ranks near the bottom nationally in investment in primary care teams, and approximately 14% of immigrants in the state are uninsured. Many children who qualify for NJ FamilyCare remain unenrolled because of fear, confusion, and “chilling effects” related to legal status. Language concordance was associated with greater trust and improved patient autonomy, while overreliance on remote interpreters may increase social distance in clinical encounters. In addition, continuity of care in health centers was associated with lower odds of emergency room utilization, reinforcing the protective value of stable primary care relationships.
CONCLUSION: This review demonstrates that barriers to pediatric primary care in mixed-status Hispanic households are structural, linguistic, and relational. Improving access requires more than insurance eligibility alone. Potential interventions include increasing Medicaid primary care reimbursement to strengthen the safety-net workforce, improving NJ FamilyCare outreach with clear confidentiality messaging, expanding the use of well-trained certified medical interpreters, and developing medical-legal partnerships to help families navigate legal and systemic barriers. Addressing these issues may improve continuity of care and reduce inequities affecting Hispanic children in South Jersey.
Disciplines
Primary Care | Pediatrics | Hispanic Health | Immigrant Health | Public Health | Health Equity | Health Disparities | Community Health | Social Determinants of Health | Medicine and Health Sciences