NURS FPX 6618 Assessment 2 Mobilizing Care For An Immigrant Population NURS-FPX 6618 Leadership in Care Coordination Mobilizing Care for an Immigrant Population

The United States has long been a melting pot of cultures, drawing individuals from across the globe to pursue the American dream. The nation has benefited from the creativity and potential that immigrants bring and has, in part, built itself upon their contributions. Approximately 14% of Americans are immigrants (American Immigration Council, 2021). The current assessment is based on developing a care coordination plan for the Mexican population, also referred to as Latinos and Hispanics.

Rationale for Addressing Healthcare Needs for the Immigrant Population

In understanding the healthcare needs of immigrant populations, the Mexican immigrant community stands out for the following reasons. The Mexican population is one of the largest immigrant populations residing in the United States, with a population ratio of 24% of the total immigrant population (Ward & Batalova, 2023). The Mexican population often faces challenges in accessing healthcare facilities within the country, resulting in poor healthcare experiences compared to other ethical and racial groups. This community shares a high percentage of chronic conditions such as diabetes within the population, serving approximately 14.4% of the diabetes prevalence within the community.

The Office of Minority Health (2021) reports that Hispanics are 70 percent more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than non-Hispanics. Furthermore, the number of medical insurance policies is comparatively smaller within the Mexican community. Therefore, the population is at high risk of developing chronic health conditions, requiring immediate care coordination plans for addressing their healthcare needs. The selection criteria used to opt out for a population are 1) researching most immigrant populations in the United States, 2) identifying the largest immigrant population within the Virginia community, 3) analyzing the population with higher healthcare issues. Applying this criterion resulted in the selection of the Mexican population.

Assessing the Healthcare Needs

SWOT analysis was utilized to assess the needs of the Mexican population. The strengths of the Mexican community lie in their adaptability and resilience, as many Mexicans have shown resilience in accessing healthcare regardless of language barriers and immigration status. Similarly, this population cultivates a strong sense of community and a support system that helps individuals navigate the healthcare system and access resources. According to the CDC (n.d), Mexicans are more inclined toward helping their community and fostering collaboration. The potential weaknesses within the community are healthcare disparities, including higher chronic illness rates, lower insurance, and language and cultural barriers that significantly hinder adequate access and communication.

Research has recognized that a social disadvantage that many Latinos face is associated with ethnic disparities, which include a lack of education attainment, inadequate health insurance coverage, immigration status, barriers associated with English proficiency, financial difficulties, and immigration status (Oh et al., 2020). These challenges also present several opportunities, such as improving healthcare for Mexican patients through culturally competent training, overcoming language barriers, and increasing access to health insurance. However, deportation and the refusal of hospitals to treat undocumented patients pose severe threats to these people.