One Language Barrier at a Time

Why do Hispanics experience disproportionately higher rates of disease, fewer treatment options, and reduced access to care? Some of the factors include low-income status, being uninsured or under-insured and communication barriers with health care professionals. These are all major deterrents to health care access, which is vital to good health. Monolingual Spanish-speakers cannot understand the law, their options or the costs associated with insurance coverage. Recently, Health and Human Services (HHS) launched a new website called CuidadoDeSalud.gov that offers health care information in Spanish. The language, often complicated by various dialects, is easy enough to read and understandable.

According to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, "CuidadoDeSalud.gov will give Latinos across the nation better information about the choices they have, how much they cost, and what they can expect from their doctor – specific to their life situation and local community." The new website is a resource for Hispanics who may not be able to obtain regular annual physical exams or preventative tests that detect the early onset of cancer, diabetes, heart and kidney disease. These are prevalent diseases in the Latino community. According to a recent government report on health disparities, the evidence shows higher rates of disease in the Hispanic population. For example, 14% of Hispanics suffer from adult onset diabetes compared to 8% of the White population. Another fact is that Hispanic women contract cervical cancer at twice the rate of White women. Other statistics show similar findings to support these disproportionate rates.

The Spanish-speaking population has gained technological access to critical information that provides options about health care choices. Individuals challenged by communication barriers can finally begin to understand our complex health care system in their own language. All this is just a click away. We may be on the verge of a breakthrough. Now we wait for the relief of suffering and pain of this impoverished community. More importantly, it has everything to gain: access to health care.

(MUR)

When it Comes to Online Health Information, Culture Does Matter

According to a 2010 MARS Online Behavior Study, it appears that the worldwide web impacts online user behavior and that behavior is determined by the degree of seriousness of the medical condition. Dedicated websites hold a certain comfort level when there is a recent diagnosis or the user has a chronic condition. In this case, access to health care professionals provides a greater degree of trust over search engine researching. This is indicative of an online user who is more focused, serious and looking for comfort and ease from a trusted source. On the other hand, users afflicted with diabetes or less serious conditions not necessarily life-threatening, may use websites’ useful tools such as meal planning to influence a lifestyle change or they may use online community support. These users were more likely to be repeat users. Therefore, the severity of a health condition determines online behavior and reveals unique patterns.

The MARS study, however, does not address cultural differences surrounding online behavior. It is evident that what is true for the mainstream culture cannot hold true if you have a different view on health or behave differently as a result of a health threat due to a diagnosis. Different cultures view information differently and thus require different types of health information. And many cultures react differently to how medical information is presented. Other cultures take varying approaches in how they respond to an illness. Knowing how other cultures respond to online medical information could prove to be an enormous benefit to the entire health care community - allowing them to reach more people. Many questions come into play. Are other cultures using the Internet to help them alter their lifestyle, make a life decision or obtain support? If so, are there patterns of how health information sites help? What impact do these sites have? Considering cultural diverse societies, this does matter, does it not?

(MUR)

Convenient Access?… Not For Everybody

Patients of the new millennium have a strong desire for quick information and the Internet has made this incredibly convenient. One no longer needs to be on a desktop computer with increasingly popular wireless access via cell phones or the more common iPhone available. According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 83 percent of Internet users have looked online for health information. Any patient is now empowered to search online anytime, from anywhere, for valuable and sometimes critical information to help them learn about a medical condition or symptom and to search for viable options. The health concern may or may not be life-changing, but patients quickly want to learn their choices to help them reduce anxiety or allow them to plan ahead. They no longer have to wait for a medical appointment to obtain complex answers from their doctor rather they can quickly gain the necessary knowledge online to help them make an informed decision. The fact is that the Internet provides instant answers with options to empower the patient so that the least to the most educated patient can readily weigh the information. The question may not always be convenient, but the Internet sure is. This is a powerful pill.

Although the Internet is certainly convenient for the most sought after medical information such as herpes, pregnancy, depression, heart disease and breast cancer, many useful websites offer information only in English. Globally, millions of Internet users who seek health information are non-English speaking and speak an array of other languages. English-only sites that are well-intended may be counter-productive for those who speak other languages and could result in frustration, anxiety and fear. Language barriers pose challenges, prevent effective communication and remove the possibility of learning. This is the opposite of empowerment. People who speak other languages should be able to access valuable health information in their native language and gain the capacity to explore options. Why not give everyone a shot at this pill? Why not make it convenient for all?

(MUR)