Identifying inequities in an urban Latin American population: a cross-sectional study in Australian primary health care
Luis Sanchez A , Tracey Johnson B , Suzanne Williams B , Geoffrey Spurling C and Joanne Durham D EA University of Queensland, Herston, Brisbane, Qld 4006, Australia.
B Inala Primary Care, 64 Wirraway Parade, Inala, Brisbane, Qld 4077, Australia.
C University of Queensland, Discipline of General Practice, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Level 8, Health Sciences Building, Herston, Brisbane, Qld 4029, Australia.
D Queensland University of Technology, Faculty of Health, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, Queensland, Qld 4001, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: joanne.durham@qut.edu.au
Australian Journal of Primary Health 26(2) 140-146 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY19049
Submitted: 1 March 2019 Accepted: 19 November 2019 Published: 2 March 2020
Abstract
In Australia, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds often face inequitable health outcomes and access to health care. An important, but under-researched, population is people of Latin American descent. A cross-sectional study obtained clinical data on Latin American Spanish-speaking patients from Brisbane’s south-west. Extracted data included demographic characteristics, risk factors, chronic disease and service use. A total of 382 people (60.5% female, 39.5% male), mainly from El Salvador and Chile and predominantly older people (70% over 50 years), were identified. Compared with the general Australian population, the proportion of people with dyslipidaemia, diabetes, arthritis and musculoskeletal, mental health disorders and being obese or overweight was high. There was also a higher use of the 20–40 min general medicine consultation than in the general population. The proportion of patients receiving health promotion and chronic disease management activities was higher than in other reports. However, there were gaps in the provision of these services. The study shows an ageing population group with significant risk factors and an important burden of chronic disease and comorbidity. Addressing inequalities in health for culturally and linguistically diverse populations demands improvements in healthcare delivery and targeted actions based on a solid understanding of their complex health needs and their health, social and cultural circumstances.
Additional keywords: aging population, culturally appropriate health care, electronic medical records, migrant health.
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