Hispanic Heritage Month: Culturally Sensitive Interactions to Overcome Disparities

By Colleen Scott, NYSOFA Advocacy Specialist

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15. While this is a time to celebrate the unique culture, language, and customs of a population which accounts for 19% of New York State, it is also a time to direct our focus on issues of concern for this population. 

Health disparities disproportionately burden Hispanics, who can be of any race and/or ethnicity. (For background on the difference between the terms "Hispanic" and "Latino," read our Five Questions with Doris Karpeh-Diaz of Centro De Amigos.) A lack of culturally and linguistically appropriate services exacerbate the existing gaps, coupled with generations of cultural bias and inequality that have created poorer health outcomes. To address these concerns, The Hispanic Federation has recommended increasing the number of culturally sensitive providers, decreasing transportation barriers, and increasing translation services, particularly in health care environments, as well as increasing technology literacy and access to internet as critical steps to addressing the current gaps.

Additionally, the Hispanic Federation notes the importance of culturally appropriate food and nutrition programs to address food insecurity in this population.

Health Disparities

• Hispanic/Latino families in New York State are three times more likely to live in poverty compared to Non-Hispanic White families (24.5% versus 6.6%). About 1 in 4 Latino/Hispanic families were living in poverty.
• Hispanics/Latinos remain disproportionately impacted by HIV compared to Non-Hispanic/Latinos or Whites.
• The asthma hospitalization rate among Hispanics/Latinos was more than three times that of White Non-Hispanics.
• Hispanics/Latinos in New York are 18% of the population but account for 26% of people living in poverty and represent 35% of the uninsured.
• More than 20 million Hispanics identified with more than one race on the 2020 census, up from just 3 million in 2010.
• Of the 42.7 million adults with Hispanic ancestry living in the U.S. in 2015, an estimated 5 million people, or 11%, said they do not identify as Hispanic or Latino. These people aren’t counted as Hispanic in Center surveys.

Culturally Sensitive Interactions

“Many individuals in the Hispanic culture have a present time orientation which may impede preventative or follow up care,” explain diversity experts in A Pocket Guide for Health Care Professionals, published by the Joint Commission. The Joint Commission also emphasizes the importance of explaining the necessity of a course of action (example: the need to finish antibiotics after symptoms have disappeared.)

Also, the Joint Commission warns against discounting a concern because of the way it is expressed:  “Do not make the mistake of stereotyping Hispanic patients as ‘loud’ and thus ignore a real medical problem.”

In some cultures where family is highly valued, a large number of relatives may be present for appointments. Be respectful of the person’s wishes for who they would like included in interactions.

The above are a few examples. More information can be found in A Pocket Guide for Health Care Professionals published by the Joint Commission.

Other Demographic Information

• New York State has the fourth largest Hispanic population in the United States.
• Among counties outside New York City, Suffolk County had the largest number of Hispanic residents (283,932). Westchester County had the highest percentage of Hispanic residents (24.4%).
• According to the New York State Department of Health, Putnam County had the lowest percentage (9.5%) of Hispanic families living in poverty during 2012-2016. Counties with the highest percentage of Hispanic families living in poverty during the same period were Chautauqua (43.5%) and Oneida (42.9%).

Resources

• Learn about the efforts of Westchester County Department of Senior Programs & Services in responding to the needs of Hispanic and Latino populations as part of NYSOFA’s Series on Community Engagement in Areas Agencies on Aging.  
• In Focus: Identifying and Addressing Health Disparities Among Hispanics (Commonwealth Fund)
• New York State Department of Health Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities Prevention
• What is CLAS? (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)