My focus population is Adult Hispanics. The Hispanic population in the county I work in is 43.4% compared to the National average of 18.5%. I care for a large number of Hispanics in my current practice. Working in ambulatory cardiology I chose a Leading Health Indicator that has a significant impact on cardiac health. Uncontrolled hypertension and its impact on the Hispanic community. The LHI goal is 60.8% of those diagnosed with hypertension to be controlled. The current rate of controlled hypertension is only 48%.
Hypertension is the leading cause of heart disease and stroke in the United States. Both Hispanics and White non-Hispanic have a similar rate of hypertension, but Hispanics are not well controlled. Only 20% of Hispanics with known hypertension have blood pressure readings at goal. Additionally, Hispanics have the highest rate of obesity in the U.S. which causes additional concern about the development of Metabolic Syndrome.
There are some barriers to care when it comes to my specific community and population. The level of poverty and lack of health insurance is higher in my community. This is going to prevent those that want care from seeking care. There is also a lack of education in addition to cultural beliefs on health that can impact care. There is a belief in fatalism within the Hispanic culture which essentially means they feel they have no control over their health outcomes. They are destined to have certain medical conditions and there is nothing that can be done about this. Education and community outreach are essential in disproving this belief. Hispanics also are reluctant to seek care due to language barrier and often feel discriminated against. Best practice when caring for non-English speaking patients is to offer an interpreter without the patient needing to request this as it is not uncommon for Hispanics to feel shame in having to make this request. Taking this element away will help create a connection with the patient and help them feel they are receiving patient-centered care. Asking open-ended questions about what barriers each patient may have in their care will help provide culturally competent care.
1). Cultural population selected and why? I chose the Hispanic population which is huge in my community. According to census.gov, Hispanics make up 65% of the population where I live and work.
2). Health issue selected and why? I chose the Diabetes as my health issue. In the Hispanic population, there is a growing epidemic of type 2 diabetes, which is higher than the national average. Hispanics are the largest minority in the United States and have higher rates of diabetes in adults and children. Diabetes is one of the top 10 leading causes of death in Hispanics. According to the Healthy People Leading Health Indicators, more than 30 million people in the United States have diabetes and is the seventh leading cause of death.
3). Highlight three or more key points from your poster. A balanced healthy diet, exercise and scheduled regular visits with a primary care provider is important for those who are at a higher risk to get diabetes. Educating on the importance of blood sugar management could help reduce the risk of eye disease, kidney disease, and nerve disease by 40%. Regular eye exams can prevent up to 90% of diabetes related blindness. Regular foot exams can help prevent up to 85% of diabetes related amputations.
Aguayo-Mazzucato, C., Diaque, P., Hernandez, S., Rosas, S., Kostic, A., & Caballero, A.E. (2019). Understanding the growing epidemic of type 2 diabetes in the Hispanic population living in the United Sates. Diabetes/metabolism research and review, 35(2), e3097. Http://doi.org/10.1002/dmrr.3097Links to an external site.
Marquez I, Calman N, Crump C. Using Enhanced Primary Care Services in High-risk Latino Populations to Reduce Disparities in Glycemic Control. J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2018 05;29(2):676-86.
