RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Care of the underserved remains one of the most compelling challenges to American healthcare. Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) address uninsurance and underinsurance by providing primary and preventive care to vulnerable populations with fees charged based on ability to pay. Our goal is to study the effectiveness of FQHCs system in engaging patients and the barriers to utilization, which have not been well defined. METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed on data from "Living for Health" (L4H) program participants from 2008 to 2012. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to determine factors associated with FQHC utilization. RESULTS: Among 9453 subjects screened, 1889 were referred to a FQHC, but only 201(11%) actually sought treatment. Public insurance, non-Hispanic ethnicity, and hypertension were associated with higher rates of FQHC utilization. Inability to afford costs, cultural factors and inflexible appointment times were the most common reasons for FQHC underutilization. CONCLUSION: The current status of FQHC utilization is sub-optimal. Community outreach programs like L4H can improve the access and utilization of FQHCs.