Page 19 - Latinas Powering Forward Whitepaper

Latinas Powering Forward

Lagging in Healthcare

Latinas and their families are less likely to get the Among non-elderly adults in 2017, 25% of Hispanics had
healthcare they need due to lack of information, cultural no health insurance over the past year, compared to 8%
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barriers, and limited access to affordable healthcare. of non-Hispanic Whites. About 22% of Hispanics skipped
Latinas gravitate to providers who relate to them in a care altogether due to cost compared to 13% of non-
personal and empathetic way. They are looking for the Hispanic Whites. Another 46% of Hispanics passed on a
encouragement, understanding and patience that many dental visit compared to 32% of non-Hispanic Whites.
received in their countries of origin. In addition to these
cultural needs, there is a shortage of medical providers Negative consequences for Latinas include higher
who speak Spanish and a scarcity of Latina doctors, mortality rates for breast cancer compared to non-
which are important for women’s issues. Latinas, and the highest rate of cervical cancer in the
U.S. Despite the risks, Latinas are less likely to receive
Lower income Latinas often do not have the option to regular screenings for mammograms, pap tests or
miss work or they do not have transportation to make cancer screenings. Latinas don’t have the same level of
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doctor’s appointments. It is critical that these issues are preventive care mindset that is more likely found among
addressed since Latinas are the gatekeepers of family nonethnic populations.
health and these issues ripple to children and other
family members.

27 Paz, Karen, and Kelley Massey. “Health Disparity among Latina Women: Comparison with Non-Latina Women” Clinical Medicine Insights: Women’s Health,
vol. 9s1, 2016.
28 “Health and Health Care for Hispanics in the United States.” Kaiser Family Foundation, 2019.

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