Texas disabled Hispanic children: A quest for healthcare access

This study was designed to identify and describe barriers to and facilitators of healthcare access for the Hispanic pediatric population with physical and mental disabilities.

Peer-reviewed journals, books, national reports including: Unequal treatment and the National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR) 2005 were utilized to conduct this research study. An evaluation of the described incidence of Hispanic children with physical and mental disabilities in the U.S. less than 18 years, which parents or guardians reported the quality of health care services provided and their barriers to access to healthcare was also performed.

Results revealed healthcare access disparities related to race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status still persist in the U.S. healthcare system. For patients, the primary barrier to healthcare access was linked to lack of insurance and secondary and tertiary barriers were lack of linguistic and cultural competency of the front end and provider, respectively. Specific statistical findings from the NHDR illustrated that families reported their child's healthcare providers sometimes or never listened carefully; did not explain facts clearly; respected what they had to say, nor spent enough time with them.

Areas that can facilitate better healthcare access are to increase the cultural and linguistic competencies of healthcare providers through policy development. Cultural and linguistic assistance can be initiated at the university level by recruiting multi-ethnic and linguistic students and by increasing sociocultural and sociolinguistic content in the coursework, practicum, or residencies. Such changes are central to effectively addressing healthcare disparities and promoting positive, long-term healthcare outcomes among culturally and linguistically diverse populations.