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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Carlene Webb, BS, Vickie Sanchez, PhD, Derek Holcomb, PhD, and Michael Ballard, EdD. Health Promotion and Administration, Eastern Kentucky University, 521 Lancaster Ave., Begley 420, Richmond, KY 40475, 859-622-4967, vickie.sanchez@eku.edu

A needs assessment was conducted to determine how accessible emergency care services are to a Latino population in a Southern Indiana County. A major goal was to assess the community's perception of the level of culturally competent procedures available in the emergency department (ED) of a local hospital. One-on-one structured interviews were conducted with nine key Latino advocates/informants and other local health service providers who collaborate and assist the Latino community. Identified barriers to ED care included 1) difficulty understanding the function of the ED, 2) lack of disclosing full medical history due to fear of deportation and 3) billing and follow-up difficulties. Furthermore, examination of the results indicated that the impact of such barriers (as with general care) depend on immigration and financial status, language capacity, and appointment availability in language-friendly public and low-cost clinics. These findings are part of a broader assessment of service barriers for local Latinos, and will be used to formulate continuing education/cultural competency training for Emergency Department staff of the hospital.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify Latino’s perceived barriers to emergency care
• Identify factors that influence Latino’s perceived barriers to emergency care

Keywords: Barriers to Care, Emergency Department/Room

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered