Listening to Community Voices: What I Learned About Healthcare Access in Latino Communities

By: Carlos Barrera-Gomez, Health Justice Intern, Latino Action Network Foundation

During my internship with the Latino Action Network Foundation, I had the opportunity to complete a small research project for one of my classes at Kean University. As a Public Health student and someone who comes from a Latino Family, I wanted to better understand some of the barriers that Latino individuals and families face when trying to access healthcare. 

For this project, I reviewed academic research and created a bilingual survey in both English and Spanish. Through my research, I learned that Latino communities often face barriers related to healthcare costs, lack of insurance, language differences, transportation challenges, and limited access to culturally responsive care. Several studies found that Latino individuals continue to have some of the highest uninsured rates among major racial and ethnic groups in the United States. In fact, Latino people made up 38% of uninsured individuals under age 65 despite representing only about 20% of the non-elderly population (Hayes, 2021). Research also showed that limited English proficiency can make it more difficult for patients to communicate with providers, understand medical information, and navigate healthcare systems (Escobedo et al., 2023). Additionally, while Latino make up nearly 19% of the U.S. population, they account for only about 6% of practicing physicians, highlighting the importance of representation and culturally responsive care (Martínez et al., 2022; Robeznieks, 2023).

To better understand how these issues affect people’s everyday experiences, I conducted a short survey and received 16 responses. The results reflected many of the patterns discussed in the research. Cost was the most commonly reported barrier to healthcare access, with 11 participants mentioning affordability, medical bills, healthcare costs, or lack of insurance as major challenges. These findings mirror national trends showing that Latino communities continue to experience disproportionately high uninsured rates (Hayes, 2021). Language barriers were also frequently reported, with 8 participants identifying communication as a challenge when seeking care. This finding aligns with research showing that limited English proficiency can reduce trust in healthcare settings and make it more difficult for patients to understand medical information and treatment plans (Escobedo et al., 2023). Additionally, 4 participants mentioned transportation as a barrier, while others discussed concerns related to trust, fear, and navigating the healthcare system. 

What stood out to me most were the specific words and phrases participants used when describing their experiences. Terms such as “cost”, “medical bills”, “affordability”, “lack of insurance”, “language barriers”, and “transportation” appeared repeatedly through the survey responses. Seeing these themes reflected in both the research and the survey findings showed me that these are not isolated experiences. Instead, they represent larger challenges that continue to affect many Latino families across the country. These barriers can lead people to delay seeking care, skip preventive screenings, or struggle to manage existing health conditions. This is especially important for Latino communities because health disparities continue to exist in areas such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic conditions (Vega et al., 2009). When individuals face barriers to accessing healthcare, opportunities for early detection, prevention, and treatment may be missed, which can contribute to poorer health outcomes over time. 

This project helped me strengthen my research skills while learning more about issues that affect many members of our communities. More importantly, it reinforced why I am interested in pursuing a career in healthcare. As someone who grew up helping my family translate information, navigate healthcare systems, and understand available resources, I have seen firsthand how overwhelming the process can be. Learning more about these disparities reminded me of the importance of improving healthcare access and increasing representation within the medical field. I hope to one day contribute to a healthcare system where all patients feel understood, supported, and able to access the care they need. 

I am grateful to the Latino Action Network Foundation for providing opportunities that allow interns like me to connect classroom learning with real-world community issues and contribute to conversations that support health equity in Latino communities. 

References

Escobedo, L. E., Cervantes, L., & Havranek, E. (2023). Barriers in healthcare for Latinx patients with limited English proficiency: A narrative review. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 38(5), 1264–1271. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-022-07995-3 

Hayes, K. (2021, October 5). Eliminating Structural Barriers Can Improve Latino People’s Access to Health Coverage. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. https://www.cbpp.org/blog/eliminating-structural-barriers-can-improve-latino-peoples-access-to-health-coverage 

Martínez, L. E., Anaya, Y. B.-M., Santizo Greenwood, S., Diaz, S. F. M., Wohlmuth, C. T., & Hayes-Bautista, D. E. (2022). The Latino Resident Physician Shortage: A Challenge and Opportunity for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Academic Medicine, Publish Ahead of Print. https://doi.org/10.1097/acm.0000000000004793 

Robeznieks, A. (2023, December 4). Growing the Hispanic physician workforce is key to better outcomes. American Medical Association. https://www.ama-assn.org/public-health/health-equity/growing-hispanic-physician-workforce-key-better-outcomes 

Vega, W. A., Rodriguez, M. A., & Gruskin, E. (2009). Health Disparities in the Latino Population. Epidemiologic Reviews, 31(1), 99–112. https://doi.org/10.1093/epirev/mxp008