Journal of the National Medical Association
Volume 100, Issue 10, 2008, Pages 1177-1185

Characteristics of immigrant Latino men who utilize formal healthcare services: baseline findings from the HoMBReS study (Article)

Rhodes S.D.* , Hergenrather K.C. , Zometa C. , Lindstrom K. , Montaño J.
  • a Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States, Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1063, United States
  • b Department of Counseling/Human Organizational Studies, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
  • c School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
  • d Chatham Social Health Council, Siler City, NC, United States
  • e Chatham Social Health Council, Siler City, NC, United States

Abstract

Despite the burgeoning immigrant Hispanic/Latino community in the southeastern United States, little is known about the utilization of healthcare services by this population. We sought to identify demographic, behavioral and psychosocial characteristics of immigrant Hispanic/Latino men who report utilizing formal healthcare services. Using an interviewer-administered assessment, data were collected from a random sample of members of a multicounty adult Latino men's soccer league in North Carolina. Of the 222 participants, the mean (± SD) age was 29.8 ± 8.3, with a range of 18-71 years. More than half of the sample reported Mexico as their country of origin and grade <8 as their highest level of education. The mean length of time living in the United States was 8.8 (± 7.6) years. An increased likelihood of reporting having ever utilized formal healthcare services was associated with decreased perceived barriers to utilization, increased acculturation, increased adherence to traditional notions of masculinity and increased coping. Effective strategies to increase the utilization of formal healthcare services among Hispanic/Latino men may include diffusing information about the availability of services and how to access services and linking healthcare utilization with positive aspects of what it means to be a man.

Author Keywords

healthcare Health service utilization Latinos

Index Keywords

male health service priority journal immigrant Aged social psychology Behavior population research demography Article health care utilization United States human adult
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-55349098299&doi=10.1016%2fS0027-9684%2815%2931476-0&partnerID=40&md5=2525186d116039e3dc795d043aa9a239
DOI: 10.1016/S0027-9684(15)31476-0
ISSN: 00279684
Cited by: 25
Original Language: English