NURS FPX 6618 Assessment 2 Mobilizing Care For An Immigrant Population Participating Organizations and Stakeholders in Care Coordination

The National Alliance for Hispanic Health (NAHH) has launched a partnership with many national organizations, such as the American College of Cardiology, the American Hospital Association, the American Heart Association, and the American Diabetes Association, to increase the availability and access to healthcare practices for chronic conditions to serve the Hispanic community. Similarly, to overcome the language barriers, the organization has partnered with the Spanish language media to create an international bilingual update, “Alliance’s Bilingual National Hispanic Family Helpline,” to increase awareness of the population’s health status.

Furthermore, the organization intends to provide culturally competent training and integrated healthcare services to help providers improve their practices and provide more personalized care to Hispanics (Office of Minority Health, 2020). The stakeholders that aim to be involved are physicians, nurses, pharmacists, case managers, telehealth specialists, health workers, mental health practitioners, policymakers, and health educators, who will be responsible for spreading awareness and providing culturally competent care. The environmental and provider capabilities help manage the healthcare needs of Hispanics.

The environmental capabilities that may hinder their access to care are lower average incomes, language and cultural barriers, and undocumented individuals. However, the NAHH (2020) has developed policies that address the risk of chronic illness and has partnered with associations to improve access to healthcare, while the bilingual family helplines tend to remove language barriers that reduce the likelihood of care practices. Within the provider’s capabilities, cultural competency, bilingual staff and information available, mental health inclusion, and community center care can be involved to improve the care practices.

Characteristics of the Population

The Hispanic population in the U.S. accounts for the most significant portion of immigrants. In 2021, reports have highlighted that almost 37.2 million Mexicans live in the United States. From the point of view of demographics, most of the population predominantly communicates in Spanish, as evident from a survey that found that around 71% of Hispanics primarily speak Spanish at home. Furthermore, other governmental data highlight that around 6% of the Mexican population is fluent in English, while most are not proficient in English. This underscores the prominent language barrier within the community, which significantly impedes access to healthcare. Also, the mean age of the Mexican residing population in the U.S. is 46 years old, highlighting that Mexican individuals lie in the age group where healthcare assistance and insurance are essential (Rosenbloom & Batalova, 2022).

Similarly, the Census Bureau data highlight that the ratio of Hispanics holding a degree is comparatively lower than that of non-Hispanics. The Mexican population has low educational attainment rates, leading to a potential health literacy lag and a lack of healthcare assistance (Rosenbloom & Batalova, 2022). Similarly, the report further highlighted that Hispanics have a higher uninsurance rate than any other racial or ethnic group. The Migration Policy Institute further highlighted that the Mexican population also has the most extensive account for the undocumented immigrant population (approximately 5.3 million), reducing the presence of healthcare facilities and access to them.

Furthermore, Hispanics have a higher rate of obesity than non-Hispanics (Office of Minority Health, 2023). The characteristics of the Mexican population highlight that the lack of access to healthcare is due to factors such as lack of education, reduced health literacy, language barriers, and cultural and religious differences. The Hispanics also follow Christianity, but their perception of the religious obligation hinders their ability to participate in early screenings, timely detection, and treatment adherence.

Current Organizational Policies for Providing Health Care

The current organization, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), is a comprehensive reform law enacted in 2010 that covers healthcare insurance coverage, costs, and preventive care. While this act aims to increase health insurance coverage for uninsured individuals, it is worth noting that undocumented individuals remain ineligible for such insurance under the ACA. According to federal policies, undocumented individuals are not eligible for healthcare and insurance coverage; however, these individuals have access to private insurance (National Immigration Forum, 2022). The ACA aims to enhance healthcare access for all, adapting to environmental shifts and recent legislation, notably by offering healthcare through Medicaid.