Perceptions and Experiences of Emergency Medical Care Among Spanish-speaking Latin American Immigrants in Providence.

BACKGROUND

Latin American immigrants experience disparities in health care access and quality. Many underutilize emergency medical care, but some may overuse emergency departments as safety nets.

METHODS

This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews to understand Latin American immigrant experiences with emergency medical care. Thematic analysis and grounded theory were used to uncover recurring concepts.

RESULTS

The 15 Spanish-speaking Latin American participants generally understood that emergency medical care was for life-threatening conditions. Friends and family were major sources of information about accessing healthcare. Barriers to emergency medical care included high cost, long wait times, and lack of knowledge about the healthcare system. Some participants increased emergency medical care utilization once in the United States because of increased quality of care, while others decreased utilization because of high costs.

CONCLUSIONS

Latin American immigrants face many barriers to emergency medical care. Avenues of reform include expanding free clinics and employing social networks to spread information about the healthcare system.