Health Care for Immigrant Latinos in Cataluņa, Spain and Massachusetts, USA: A Comparative Intercultural Analysis

Spain and the United States have experienced a dramatic increase in immigration. The majority of this influx is from nations with where health care access and service delivery, both historically and currently, are very different from the host countries. In an attempt to meet the health care needs of this population, publicly funded programs, and increasingly private insurers, have had to address cultural and linguistic diversity to the extent never before. This comparative analysis is based on two research studies conducted in two regions of each country. The first study reports results of focus groups conducted among Latino immigrant health consumers concerning their perceptions of health care services, their views about use of services, and their reports about their interactions with the health care system, including a comparison of their experiences in the USA and their home country. The second study addresses the Latin American immigrants in Spain during the last two decades. This study investigates health care access of immigrant Latinos in the largest urban enclave of Cataluņa. To explore the barriers, challenges, and solutions, the author interviewed government officials, non-governmental professionals and activists, providers, and patients in Barcelona. The findings suggest that bilingual skills seem less important for Latino immigrants in Spain although the same situation makes them less visible as the health system design interculturally viable mechanisms of care. The study suggests the importance of intercultural inter-sector initiatives, setting up easy access to neighborhood primary care centers, the incorporation of integrated mental health assistance, among others.