The healthcare system in the United States is marred by disparities affecting racial minorities. Such inequalities have become a major topic of interest among researchers and commentators. Ethnic minorities face health disparities caused by a lack of social support, lower socioeconomic status, lower health literacy, disempowerment, and greater incidences of illnesses. Most cultural aspects of the Hispanic community seem to alienate them from the country’s healthcare system, causing cultural disparities.
Hispanics in the United States face healthcare disparities emanating from several factors. For example, a study by Chauhan et al. (2020) reveals that socioeconomic status disempowers Hispanics and is associated with greater incidences of illnesses. According to Johnson and Farquharson (2019), the Hispanic culture is rich in religious and traditional foundations. As a result, advanced practice nurses (APNs) and other healthcare professionals encounter patients from different cultures and experience differences in practices, beliefs, and traditions. Lack of competence in such cultures often means that an APN cannot offer adequate services that meet the expectations of Hispanics. Other cultural factors include language barriers and family dynamics, which prevent many from seeking medical help. Their religious practices include accepting death, which means many fail to seek medical care even for treatable illnesses. Lastly, traditional medicine keeps many from seeking modern medicine (Johnson & Farquharson, 2019). The cultural differences also cause many negative healthcare experiences among Hispanics (Funk & Lopez, 2022). Individuals with such experiences are more likely to avoid seeking medical care in the future.
Therefore, the cultural aspects of the Hispanic community contribute significantly to the health disparities experienced by Hispanics as an ethnic minority. Such issues as the language barrier and family dynamics dictate access to and acceptance of healthcare services offered by American institutions. Due to cultural differences, negative healthcare experiences are common among members of this community. APNs require cultural competence to offer healthcare services to Hispanic patients effectively.
References
Chauhan, A., Walton, M., Manias, E., Walpoa, R., Seale, H., Latanik, M., Leone, D., Mears, S., & Harrison, R. (2020). The safety of health care for ethnic minority patients: a systematic review. International Journal for Equity in Health, 19(118), 1-25. Web.
Funk, C., & Lopez, M. (2022). Hispanic Americans’ experiences with health care. Pew Research Center. Web.
Johnson, M., & Farquharson, H. (2019). Hispanic culture and healthcare in the United States: One person’s perspective. Journal of Nursing Research and Practice, 3(4), 1-2. Web.