Sociocultural factors influencing delay in seeking routine health care among Latinas: a community-based participatory research study.

OBJECTIVES

To assess sociocultural factors associated with delaying routine healthcare among Latinas.

METHODS

Using community-based participatory research; we interviewed 287 Latinas from the Capital District, NY. The Andersen model of healthcare utilization was used to assess predisposing, enabling and need factors influencing delay in seeking care. Modified Poisson regression was used to estimate prevalence risk ratios (PRR) and 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

Overall 70% of women reported delaying care. After controlling for other factors, women who were not married (PRR 1.21), had chronic disease (PRR 1.24), preferred a Latino doctor (PRR 1.18), used alternative medicine (PRR 1.28), were uninsured (PRR 1.29), or had faced discrimination during earlier health care visits (PRR 1.23), were significantly more likely to delay care.

CONCLUSIONS

Delay in seeking care among Latinas is determined by cultural and social factors that need to be incorporated in interventions aimed at improving access.