State of Latino Healthcare

It's Latin Heritage Month !

Cultural competency is such an ambiguous phrase to use in healthcare. What does it mean for one group versus the next? And how do we execute on cultural competency with concrete steps?

This week, we explore the health experience of the Latin community.

In 2019, the U.S. Census estimated there were 60.5 million Hispanics or Latinos living in the United States. Diseases including type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, hepatic steatosis, and cancer are more prevalent in Hispanics when compared to Non-Hispanic Whites. Environmental inequities in largely Latino neighborhoods can increase the risk of these health issues. And according to a study from the American Cancer Society, Latino cancer rates are higher than non-Hispanic whites, but is mostly attributed to less access to care and education around screening options and warning signs. Among Latino men, the lifetime probability of developing cancer is about one in three but Latino men are the least likely to seek out healthcare.

Insurance coverage is a big gap in care for Latinos as well. Hispanics have the highest uninsured rates of any racial or ethnic group in the United States with only 50.1% having private insurance as compared to 75% of white Americans. An estimated 30.1% of Hispanic adults ages 18 to 64 did not have health insurance last year.

Lastly, getting care in your preferred language is a determining factor in seeking care for many. Yet, the proportion of facilities offering mental health treatment in Spanish declined by nearly 18% between 2014 and 2019. Research now shows that only 33% of Hispanics with a mental health disorder generally get treatment, compared to 45% of non-Hispanics.

These are just a few snippets of the healthcare experience for some in the Hispanic community. As always, our question is - where can digital health help?

Luckily, there is still hope for digital health to create an impact as nearly 60% of Hispanics are comfortable using technology-based products, according to Klick Health research. This shows an incredible appetite and opportunity for engagement. Founders looking to solve for cultural competency in healthcare should plan to solve for the Latino experience. Google is even investing $5 million into 50 Latinx-founded startups with its Google for Startups Latino Founders Fund.

Our hope is that whomever is building for this target demographic take a deep look into the community's history with healthcare and build alongside the community to ensure their version of cultural competency is sticky (por todos).

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In the News

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Latino families are facing a health coverage cliff--Congress must intervene

The Hill

Serving the Hispanic Population in US Healthcare

Forbes

One in 5 people waiting for a transplant are Latino. There's a call for more donors

NBC News

There are over 100 million people waiting for transplants in the U.S., and 60% are minorities. The Hispanic population is among the groups that most need transplants, but they are among the most reluctant to register to become donors. 17 patients die each day because the organ they need is not available in time. Organ donors can save eight lives when they die by donating their kidneys, pancreas, liver, heart, lungs and intestines. Those who donate tissues can better the lives of up to 75 people when they donate corneas, skin, bones and cardiac valves.

Nearly 1 in 3 Hispanic Adults Without Health Insurance in U.S., Data Shows

Newsweek

Latinos face digital divide in health care

The Conversation

Study: Availability of Spanish-language mental health services is shrinking

Axios