Hispanics form approximately 13. 8% of the population and are the largest ethnic minority population in the U. S. They are from a wide range of countries Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba and Central and South America. Today it is estimated that one in five Americans is Hispanic. Almost half of the Hispanic population comprises of young people who are less than 25 years of age. There is however a clear difference between the Hispanics and the white population. Hispanics suffer more from chronic health conditions like heart diseases, cancers and diabetes compared to the non-Hispanic whites.
Due to their economic status most of them do not access regular check ups from doctor. Again, a few of them are insured and health care becomes unaffordable for them. Consequently, they concentrate on curable or treatment health care as opposed to preventive care. In most cases they rely on public clinics and emergency hospital care as their sources of health care. Chronic diseases are a leading cause of Hispanic deaths. Heart diseases attribute to 24% while cancers are responsible for 20% of their deaths.
Lack of an effective health care system that would provide health insurance for the Hispanics is a major hindrance to quality health care accessibility. Language barriers also affect their accessing quality health care. Since some Hispanics do not have English proficiency and they face difficulties when accessing medical care. (www. commonwealthfund. org) what effect will thetearing of a tendon have on its corresponding muscle. The quality of the care they are to attain could be compromised by communication difficulties. Explaining their medical concerns, understanding prescriptions or instruction is affected when they do not understand the language used.
It is estimated that approximately 50% of Spanish speaking Hispanics are faced with communication problems. Interpretation services are inadequate in most health care facilities thus perpetuating the communication hindrances. Communication barriers could result to medical errors, poor compliance, patient stress and mistrust and poor health outcomes. Hispanics report the highest rates of lack of health insurance in the U. S. Approximately 33% are uninsured compared to 10% uninsured non-Hispanic whites.
Hispanics like other minority groups in the U.S delay seeking medical attention due to perceived discrimination or mistrust. These prejudices affect their accessibility to health care. Some claim that they get negative experiences in the healthcare systems and thus shy away from accessing medical care. According to a survey by Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey (BRFSS), cultural factors influence Hispanic access to preventive services. (www. cdc. gov) Fewer Hispanics have adequate knowledge about cancer and have a fatalistic attitude towards it.
This ensures that fewer Hispanics go for cancer screening which is crucial component in early detection and treatment. Some consider or perceive some health care services like mental health as unnecessary and useless. Many Hispanics also have limited knowledge about diabetes and most are not able to identify the normal blood glucose level or the complications related to diabetes. (www. medscape. com). Others believe that suffering from such diseases is a punishment from God a factor that hinders effective treatment or management of the disease.
These patients also mistake health complication with insulin therapy thus affecting their health. Hispanics are poor, less educated, under employed, have inadequate housing and face transportation difficulties. Approximately 40% of the Hispanic populations have less than a high school education. (www. commonwealthfund. org). One out of three Hispanics, reports an income below the federal poverty level of $18000 for a family of four thus hindering accessibility to health care. According to a research by the Commonwealth Fund in 2001, it was established that fewer Hispanics could consider themselves in good health.
Hispanics, who did not speak English as their primary language, had more communication problems compared to those who English was their primary language. Nearly one out of four Hispanic disagrees with their doctor and consequently don’t follow their advice. Their attitudes towards the doctors are negative. About 40% believe that complying with the doctor’s advice is costly. A higher percentage of Hispanics do not have great confidence in their doctor. Some feel that they receive unsuitable care from the doctors due to their race or ethnicity. They feel that if they were whites they could have been treated better.
(www. commonwealthfund. org). Due to communication problems some Hispanics felt that they were treated with disrespect or spoken to rudely. A proportion of the Hispanic population uses alternative therapies and due to the mistrust they have on their doctors they do not disclose. This could affect the health outcomes. Most Hispanics feel that they have little or no choice to where they access health care. Without proper knowledge due to personal attitudes or inaccessibility to education, curbing disease that could have been controlled is difficult among the Hispanic population.
Bias and stereotypes can influence the quality of health care offered according to Institute of Medicine (I0M). Healthcare providers who are mostly whites could be biased and fail to offer competent care. Hispanic attitudes towards the non-Hispanic whites strain their relationship with their care providers thus causing mistrust. Poor health literacy and machismo attitudes by Hispanic men towards visiting the doctor affect their accessibility to healthcare. (Johnson L and Cameron C, 2001). Being the largest ethnic group in U. S, culturally competent care needs to be provided to avoid devastating health care problems.
This ensures that fewer Hispanics go for cancer screening which is crucial component in early detection and treatment. Some consider or perceive some health care services like mental health as unnecessary and useless. Many Hispanics also have limited knowledge about diabetes and most are not able to identify the normal blood glucose level or the complications related to diabetes. (www. medscape. com). Others believe that suffering from such diseases is a punishment from God a factor that hinders effective treatment or management of the disease.
These patients also mistake health complication with insulin therapy thus affecting their health. Hispanics are poor, less educated, under employed, have inadequate housing and face transportation difficulties. Approximately 40% of the Hispanic populations have less than a high school education. (www. commonwealthfund. org). One out of three Hispanics, reports an income below the federal poverty level of $18000 for a family of four thus hindering accessibility to health care. According to a research by the Commonwealth Fund in 2001, it was established that fewer Hispanics could consider themselves in good health.
Hispanics, who did not speak English as their primary language, had more communication problems compared to those who English was their primary language. Nearly one out of four Hispanic disagrees with their doctor and consequently don’t follow their advice. Their attitudes towards the doctors are negative. About 40% believe that complying with the doctor’s advice is costly. A higher percentage of Hispanics do not have great confidence in their doctor. Some feel that they receive unsuitable care from the doctors due to their race or ethnicity. They feel that if they were whites they could have been treated better.
(www. commonwealthfund. org). Due to communication problems some Hispanics felt that they were treated with disrespect or spoken to rudely. A proportion of the Hispanic population uses alternative therapies and due to the mistrust they have on their doctors they do not disclose. This could affect the health outcomes. Most Hispanics feel that they have little or no choice to where they access health care. Without proper knowledge due to personal attitudes or inaccessibility to education, curbing disease that could have been controlled is difficult among the Hispanic population.
Bias and stereotypes can influence the quality of health care offered according to Institute of Medicine (I0M). Healthcare providers who are mostly whites could be biased and fail to offer competent care. Hispanic attitudes towards the non-Hispanic whites strain their relationship with their care providers thus causing mistrust. Poor health literacy and machismo attitudes by Hispanic men towards visiting the doctor affect their accessibility to healthcare. (Johnson L and Cameron C, 2001). Being the largest ethnic group in U. S, culturally competent care needs to be provided to avoid devastating health care problems.
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