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Abstract
Latinx Immigrants' Healthcare Access: Barriers, Consequences and Strategies for the Future
Ashley Victor, Depts. of Bioinformatics and Product Innovation, Farheen Zaman, MiJin Cho, and Paola Callejas, with Dr. Indira Sultanić, School of World Studies
As the largest minority group in America, the Latinx population faces significant obstacles to receiving equitable healthcare. The Collective Corazón—a VCU student organization that addresses Latinx healthy equity through service and advocacy—performed a meta-analysis to pinpoint the barriers that the Latinx population faces in health care, determine the consequences in the community, and formulate strategies for the future. This study found that overall, immigrants tend to have lower rates of healthcare coverage compared to people born in the United States. Latinx immigrants in particular struggle because of language barriers within the healthcare system, as well as a lack of cultural competency of healthcare workers, and the inability to obtain health insurance because of their immigration and socioeconomic status. These factors lead to poor health outcomes for Latinx immigrants that are not seen in members of the community born in the United States, including low birth weights, chronic conditions like diabetes and asthma, and musculoskeletal problems. Based on these findings, this study posits that these disparities can be mitigated by addressing language and cultural barriers through training programs centered around cultural humility, the increased use of professional interpreters, and the development of community health resources, like school-based health centers.
Publication Date
2020
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Indira Sultanić, Ph.D.
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Gabriela León-Pérez, Ph.D.
Sponsorship
Virginia Commonwealth University. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program
Is Part Of
VCU Undergraduate Research Posters
Rights
© The Author(s)