Health Care Challenges and the Hispanic Population

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The United States has been, and is, a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities. As nurses, we must be able to provide competent care by incorporating our patient's cultural beliefs and practices into their plan of care. The Hispanic population is now the largest and fastest growing culture in the our country. All across the United States, cities, towns, and rural areas not known for Hispanic populations have experienced a sharp increase in the last decade. From the 2010 census, over the past 10 years the Latino population has increased from 35.3 million in 2005 to 50.5 million in 2010. As the U.S. population continues to age, so does the Hispanic; in 2000, older Hispanics numbered fewer than 1.8 million, and is expected to increase to more than 8.6 million by 2030. Racial and ethnic disparities in health affect care at all levels. Ethnic disparities can be explained by differences in language fluency, but racial disparities in health care are shown by delayed care due to a lack of cultural and ethnic knowledge of caregivers, lack of insurance, and a lack of transportation. According to Healthy People 2020, the goal of recognizing and attending to health disparities has not been adequately met. Studies show that many Hispanics lack insurance and are forced to visit emergency departments for their health care. The absence of health insurance can put considerable financial strain on low income families seeking care without this resource. A shortage of well trained bilingual-bicultural clinical researchers and the use of proficient assessment instruments has been a negative influence on the diagnosis, management, and service utilization pattern of the Hispanic population. Barriers to health care... ... middle of paper ... ... References Dettlaff, A., & Rycraft, J. (2009, Nov-Dec). Culturally competent systems of care with Latino children and families. Child Welfare, 88(6), 109-127. Retrieved February 26, 2014, from Nursing and Allied Health Collection via Gale: http://find.galegroup.com/nrcx/start.do?prodId=NRC Hicks, D. (2012, Sept-Oct). Cultural competence and the Hispanic population. MedSurg Nursing,21(5), 314-316. Retrieved February 26, 2014, from Nursing and Allied Health Collection via Gale: http://find.galegroup.com/nrcx/start.do?prodId=NRC Strunk, J., Townsend-Rocchicioli, J., & Sanford, J. (2013, Jan-Feb). The aging Hispanic in America: challenges for nurses in a stressed health care environment. MedSurg Nursing, 22(1), 45-51. Retrieved February 26, 2014, from Nursing and Allied Health Collection via Gale: http://find.galegroup.com/nrcx/start.do?prodId=NRC

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