Barriers to Healthcare Access for Clients from Puerto Rican and Cuban Americans
Introduction
Cultural competency is an essential principle in healthcare since most patients are getting treatment from physicians from the majority group. Therefore, a healthcare provider is culturally competent when there is a collaborative partnership between the patient and the healthcare provider that provides for the satisfactory and successful delivery of healthcare. As a result, the healthcare provider by all means finds ways of overcoming language barriers and appreciates differences in cultures.
The 2017 United States Census Bureau reports that 58.8 million Latinos/Hispanics live in America, which includes 18.1% of the total population of the United States (OMH, 2020). The Latino ethnicity includes Cubans, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, South or Central Americans, or any individuals from the Spanish culture regardless of the race. Determinants of the health of the Latinos comprise factors such as language or cultural barriers, lack of access to preventive care, and the lack of health insurance.
The language barrier is the major obstacle to obtaining healthcare for this ethnicity. Most health facilities depend on ad hoc interpretation by bilingual staff or the children of the patients due to the lack of trained interpreters (Juckett and G., 2013). Also, the problem of the lack of third party reimbursement for professional interpreters adds to the problem. Notably, Latinos have the highest uninsured rates for any ethnicity. The Census Bureau 2017 reports that 7.9% Puerto Ricans and 13.7% Cubans were without health insurance coverage.
Cultural mistrust is also a significant barrier since patients go for alternative healthcare services first, cause a delay in diagnosis and treatment. The self-treatment custom propagates cultural mistrust since most pharmaceuticals dispense without prescription in their home countries. Other obstacles to healthcare include illegal immigration status, illiteracy, distinct health beliefs.
In conclusion, establishing a culturally competent healthcare delivery system has the potential for improving the quality of healthcare for the ethnic groups (Grady and A.M, 2014). Patient motivation will increase the trust of the patient and enhance their participation during therapy. Moreover, the healthcare delivery setting should be friendly and welcoming. Physicians should take short courses on cultural sensitivity. Lastly, the healthcare system should consider recruiting staff from ethnic groups.
References
Grady, A. M. (2014). Enhancing cultural competence in-home care nurses caring for Hispanic/Latino patients. Home Healthcare Now, 32(1), 24-30.
Juckett, G. (2013). Caring for Latino patients. American Family Physician, 87(1), 48-54.
U.S Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health. Profile: Hispanic/Latino Americans. Retrieved from https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/browse.aspx?lvl=3&lvlid=64 (Accessed February 2, 2020).
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