Valenzuela: Valley Latinos face barriers in healthcare

Metro Creative Connection

Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, is an opportunity to honor the rich history and culture of Hispanic and Latino communities. While this month-long celebration is essential, it also serves as a reminder to reflect on the persistent challenges these communities face, particularly in access to healthcare.

In Maricopa County, 1.3 million Latinos live, work and contribute to the fabric of the Valley’s community. They are entrepreneurs, athletes, artists, scientists, public servants and more. Yet, despite their contributions, Latinos in Arizona face significant barriers to accessing quality healthcare. More than 7 out of 10 Latinos in Arizona’s workforce are essential or frontline workers, but many of them are uninsured and uninsurable therefore, so are their children.

Six out of 10 Latino children rely on Medicaid’s Child Health Insurance Plan for healthcare. This reliance is partially because their parents hold jobs that do not offer health insurance. Unfortunately, Arizona’s CHIP program only provides coverage during the school year, leaving children vulnerable during the summer months.

Seasonal workers, such as farm laborers and those in hospitality, often face fluctuating incomes, making them ineligible for even the limited coverage CHIP offers. This leads to a troubling statistic: more than 80,000 Latino children in Arizona experience insufficient healthcare services.

So while many may hesitate to see a doctor for personal reasons, for a significant portion of Latino adults and children, the obstacles go beyond choice — they are structural. Lack of health insurance is one part of the problem, but it is also compounded by other factors like limited access to healthy food, transportation, education and access to culturally appropriate healthcare (healthcare professionals that speak the language and or understand their patients’ culture). These barriers prevent many from receiving necessary preventive care, or necessary treatments, which could help manage or avoid chronic health conditions.

Thankfully, many Valley area nonprofits are stepping in to make a difference.

Dedicated to serving historically under resourced Latino communities across Maricopa County, Advance is committed to increasing preventative chronic health education and resources to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and promoting health equity for all. Our team helps people understand their healthcare options and make informed decisions about their physical and mental health. We strengthen under-resourced Latino communities through programs such as oral health, chronic disease prevention/management, and nutrition education.

Addressing healthcare disparities is critical, especially when some conditions can be prevented through education and access to healthy foods. By offering solutions and resources for preventive care, we can tackle the barriers that have long hindered healthcare access in the Latino community.

Editor’s note: María Alicia Valenzuela is chief program officer for Advance Community. More information is available https://advancecommunity.org. Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.