Abstract
Health care access in the United States is a pressing topic in today's day and age. Its intricacies are ever-present, and unique challenges and impediments to access are faced by many populations. This study will examine health care access among Hispanic populations in a rural, Midwestern county and in Portland, Oregon. Through the qualitative analysis of interviews with health care providers and administrators in these two areas, I explore the following: What are the barriers to access, what are they driven by, and what can be done to eliminate them? Following an exploration of the existing literature on the subject, I draw upon Acculturation Theory, Diaspora Theory, and Ronald Andersen's Health Service Utilization model to provide a framework through which to discuss immigrant populations and health care resources and utilization. By hearing the perspectives of individuals engaged in various aspects of care and in different parts of the country, I identify common themes; these include circumstantial barriers to access, health-related barriers to access, and extraneous yet crucial barriers to access. I also aim to identify practices that are used to eliminate certain deterrents to access and utilization of services and offer suggestions of practices that could assist in doing this.
Advisor
Tierney, Thomas
Department
Sociology and Anthropology
Recommended Citation
Soyer, Elena M., "From Life Circumstance to Cultural Competence: Understanding Barriers to Health Care Access Among Spanish-Speaking Populations in the United States" (2017). Senior Independent Study Theses. Paper 7803.
https://openworks.wooster.edu/independentstudy/7803
Disciplines
Medicine and Health | Sociology
Publication Date
2017
Degree Granted
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type
Senior Independent Study Thesis
© Copyright 2017 Elena M. Soyer