Healthcare Equity for Latinx Communities

Image Citation: [1]

Author: Shreya Karthik, ‘29

Editor: Thomas Wang ‘26

Introduction

Latinx are the largest minority group in the US, making up 18-19% of the total population [2, 3]. Despite their significant presence, Latinx communities remain severely underrepresented and underserved in healthcare.  In 2022, only 6% of US physicians identified as Hispanic in comparison to 56.5% identifying as White and 18.8% as Asian [2, 4]. Numerous studies have demonstrated that Latinx patients face lower quality of care and higher rates of morbidity for many diseases (especially cancer), and a greater prevalence of diabetes [2, 3]. There are a variety of reasons for this disparity, and this article will focus on structural and communication barriers.

Structural Barriers

Two major structural barriers that limit accessibility to healthcare and treatment adherence are transportation and financial stability. 

Approximately 11% of Latinx households lack their own vehicle, and as the fastest-growing rural ethnic group, public transportation is not a viable solution [2]. To address this issue, basic healthcare provisions can be brought to patients through microhospitals and telehealth. These cannot fully replace the myriad services and specialities of a comprehensive hospital visit; however, they are more accessible and can provide basic primary care, and are a good intermediate step to determine if more specialized care is required. 

In regard to financial stability, families from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to have limited access to quality care, which is concerning considering that 18% of Latinx people live in poverty and/or do not have health insurance [5]. Without financial confidence, patients are unlikely to schedule appointments or adhere to treatment regimens due to the high price of medications and visits. This is especially important given the current political climate; the “One Big Beautiful Bill”, passed this July, includes the largest withdrawal of healthcare support in US history, and is projected to cause 7.6 million individuals to lose health insurance coverage [6]. It attacks states that provide undocumented immigrants (13% of the Latinx community) with insurance coverage [6].

Therefore, mitigating financial barriers requires an interdisciplinary approach involving the political and medical spheres. For example, patients and healthcare professionals can lobby policymakers for expanded state-funded insurance programs and medicaid expansion. Healthcare facilities can also individually make changes, sending patients home with resource pamphlets or apps like GoodRx that can help families find cheaper resources [2].

Ultimately, solutions to structural barriers must reduce hesitation to seek care and maximize the likelihood of follow-up and treatment adherence.

Communication Barriers 

Effective intercultural communication has been shown to lead to better patient adherence and satisfaction, and therefore improved health outcomes [7]. Given that around 33% of Latinx patients are not proficient in English, communication barriers, including inadequate translation/interpretation services and health literacy, must be addressed [8].

Communication issues often begin before appointments for non-English speakers with scheduling challenges [2]. Even if they can come in, they often face long wait times for an interpreter, which unnecessarily increases cost and frustration [2]. In some cases, hospitals have even reported using ad hoc interpreters such as other bilingual patients, which threatens patient confidentiality and interpretation accuracy [7]. Additionally, health literacy issues create communication barriers as it is the strongest predictor of health status, and Latinx individuals have the lowest average among all racial/ethnic groups [7]. 

Potential solutions include having translated materials readily available and increasing readability with visuals and plain language. There are various tools, such as Health Literacy Advisor and Stylewriter, that providers can use to evaluate material readability [7]. Also,  to prevent the common issue of healthcare providers overestimating health literacy, patients can take health literacy tests before appointments, and providers can use the Teach Back method to evaluate comprehension (it is a cycle that involves first explaining concepts and then asking the patient to reiterate information) [7]. For interpreter issues, hospitals can offer phone translation services to reduce wait times and should enforce stricter regulations on ad hoc translators to create consistency. Implementing such solutions can make a significant difference in the quality of care for both English and non-English-speaking Latinx patients. 

Conclusion

It is clear that Latinx patients are critically underserved in the US healthcare system, facing structural, communication, and cultural barriers that prevent equitable access to care. These challenges not only compromise the quality of care but also have a tangible impact on mortality and morbidity outcomes. However, these barriers are not insurmountable. Solutions such as expanding telehealth services, improving translation resources, increasing cultural competence training, and encouraging holistic medicine can significantly improve the healthcare experience for Latinx individuals. Only by acknowledging and actively dismantling these barriers can we ensure that all communities, including Latinx populations, receive the equitable care they deserve.

References

1. UW Medicine. Latinx Health Pathway [Internet]. [cited 2025 Nov 19]. Available from: https://equity.uwmedicine.org/latinx-health-pathway/

2. Brener S, Jiang S, Hazenberg E, Herrera D. A Cyclical Model of Barriers to Healthcare for the Hispanic/Latinx Population. Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities. 2024;11(2):1077–88.

3. Floríndez LI, Floríndez DC, Como DH, Secola R, Duker LIS. Differing interpretations of health care encounters: A qualitative study of non-Latinx health care providers’ perceptions of Latinx patient behaviors. PloS one. 2020;15(8):e0236706.

4. 2023 Key Findings and Definitions [Internet]. AAMC. 2023. Available from: https://www.aamc.org/data-reports/data/2023-key-findings-and-definitions

5. Moslimani M, Noe-Bustamante L. Facts on Latinos in the U.S. [Internet]. Pew Research Center. 2023. Available from: https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/fact-sheet/latinos-in-the-us-fact-sheet/#poverty-status

6. Sugrue N. The One Big Beautiful Bill & Negative Economic Consequences For Latinos. Forbes [Internet]. 2025 May 29; Available from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/noreensugrue/2025/05/29/latinos-and-the-one-big-beautiful-bill/

7. Pigozzi LM. Caring for and understanding Latinx patients in health care settings. London ; Jessica Kingsley Publishers; 2020.

8. Krogstad JM, Stapler R, Lopez MH. English Proficiency on the Rise Among Latinos [Internet]. Pew Research Center. 2015. Available from: https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2015/05/12/english-proficiency-on-the-rise-among-latinos/