Latina young adults' use of health care during initial months in the United States.
Frank R Dillon, Melissa M Ertl, Dylan A Corp and 2 others
PMID 29043912WHAT IT FOUND
Only 36% of recently arrived young Latinas had seen a doctor.
Strong family duty beliefs increased care use, but beliefs in self-silencing and spiritual leadership decreased it. Lack of insurance and unemployment were major barriers, while social network attachment helped access.
Key findings
01Thirty-six percent of participants reported visiting a doctor since immigrating to the US.
02Endorsing the belief that Latinas are the main source of family strength was associated with higher odds of using health care, while endorsing beliefs in self-silencing and spiritual leadership were associated with lower odds.
03Possessing health insurance, being employed, and having more social network attachment were associated with greater health care utilization.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The cross-sectional design cannot determine causality; for example, it is unclear if better health status led to care use or if care use improved perceived health. Health care use was measured as a simple yes/no item, missing details on the type or frequency of care. The sample was limited to Miami-Dade County, so findings may not generalize to other regions or Latino subgroups underrepresented there. Self-reported data on sensitive topics like immigration status may be subject to reporting bias.
Declared interests
The study was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). No other conflicts of interest are reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that cultural beliefs always inhibit care. The study found that the belief in being the family's pillar increased health care use, while self-silencing decreased it. Context matters when interpreting marianismo.