Provider Perspectives About Latino Patients: Determinants of Care and Implications for Treatment

Primary care settings are the gateway through which the majority of Latinos access care for their physical and mental health concerns. This study explored the perspectives of primary care providers concerning their Latino patients, in particular issues affecting their patients’ access to and utilization of services. Interviews were conducted with eight primary care providers and analyzed using consensual qualitative research methods. In addition, observations were conducted of the primary care setting to contextualize providers’ perspectives. Providers indicated that care for Latinos was affected by several domains: (a) practical/instrumental factors that influence access to care; (b) cultural and personal factors that shape patients’ presentations and views about physical and mental health and treatment practices; (c) provider cultural competence; and (d) institutional factors that highlight the context of care. In addition to recommendations for research and practice, the need for interdisciplinary collaboration between psychology and medicine in reducing ethnic minority disparities was proposed.