Self-Reported Anxiety and Healthcare Delay in Latinas residing in a New Latino Destination

Objective: Understanding the relationship between self-reported anxiety and reasons for health care delay is important to assist healthcare providers to engage Latina women in New Latino destinations in preventive care. Methods: Secondary analyses of a cross-sectional survey of 286 Latina women residing in a New Latino Destination. Results: Overall, 37% of the women in this study reported feeling anxious and those reporting anxiety were 2.5 times as likely to delay healthcare (95% CI: 1.4-4.5). Latina women in the study population with self-reported anxiety were more likely to delay care because they were waiting for their concerns to increase in severity (OR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.5 - 4.7), had difficulty communicating with providers (OR 2.2, 95% CI: 1.1-4.7), did not have transportation (OR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.2-3.1), or they had to wait too long for an appointment (OR: 2.4, 95% CI: 1.3-4.4) when compared to women not reporting anxiety. Self-reported anxiety was not related to delays due to other concerns, like legal status or having trouble understanding insurance/government insurance program. These patterns persisted after controlling for having a current health condition and acculturation. Conclusions: Providers interested in encouraging preventive care in growing Latina communities need to recognize that anxiety may impede individuals from obtaining routine care. Reaching out to this community in Spanish, providing education about the importance of early intervention, and assistance with transportation may help providers reach this new, and potentially vulnerable, segment of their population.