The rapid growth in the Hispanic population, and especially in the number of Hispanic youth, represents one of the most dramatic and important demographic trends affecting the United States. Working-age Hispanic adults will age to become the first sizable wave of Hispanic seniors. As a result, the health status and health behaviors of today’s youth will play a central role in shaping the long-term health and health care needs not only of Hispanics in the United States, but of all Americans.
For many Hispanics, the one-size-fits-all healthcare system in the United States has failed them. There is a poor understanding of how it works, how to access it, how to pay for it, and what its ultimate value is. Beyond this, the doctor-patient relationship may at times feel cold and impersonal. Our American health system in which doctors rush visits leaving little time to build relationships is viewed as untrustworthy. Even acculturated and assimilated Latinos are often disenfranchised from a health care system that seems impersonal. As a result, Hispanics are the racial group least likely to visit the doctor. More than one-fourth of Hispanic adults in the United States lack a usual healthcare provider (medical home) and almost half of Hispanics never visit a medical professional during the year. Additionally, Hispanics are more likely than members of other groups to delay healthcare for an illness or drop out of treatment when symptoms disappear.
At Equality Health, we understand what it means to be Hispanic in our modern healthcare system. We know health literacy, language, cultural understanding, and social determinants of health such as lack of transportation, inadequate housing, food insecurities, racism and others, are challenges that confront Latinos in our American health care system. Thus, Equality Health has chosen to strategically focus on the elements of Hispanic culture and social determinants of health which impact health, to better serve the needs of the Hispanic community. Through our integrated technology and services platform, culturally competent physician network, cultural care model, community partnerships, and patient engagement platform, we plan to bring about greater engagement and a superior system delivery to the Hispanic community.