What Latina Patients Don't Tell Their Doctors

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Primary Care / General Practice
Article Date: 11 Nov 2008 - 5:00 PDT

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In-depth interviews with 28 Latina women living in Brooklyn revealed six factors that enhance or inhibit Latinas' disclosure of information to their physician. Researchers found that a warm, trusting, compassionate relationship in which the patient feels respected and truly heard is critical for disclosure of important health information.

Time constraints, the presence of translators, sex and age differences, and physicians' lack of awareness of what constitutes sensitive issues for Latinas can all affect this relationship and thus disclosure. Notably, birthplace (foreign or U.S. born) also played a role in how the women perceived barriers to disclosure.

To improve Latinas' disclosure of important health information to their physicians, the authors call for staff training in techniques for building rapport in an attempt to foster better communication, increase empathy and compassion and lead to the establishment of trusting relationships.

What Latina Patients Don't Tell Their Doctors: A Qualitative Study
By Kell Julliard, M.A., et al
Lutheran Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
Annals of Family Medicine - November/December 2008

The Annals of Family Medicine is a new peer-reviewed research journal to meet the needs of scientists, practitioners, policymakers, and the patients and communities they serve. The Annals of Family Medicine is dedicated to advancing knowledge essential to understanding and improving health and primary care. The Annals supports a learning community of those who generate and use information about health and generalist health care.

http://www.annfammed.org/current.shtml

Angela Sharma
American Academy of Family Physicians