Exploring the Impact of Discrimination on Healthcare Access Among Latinx Adolescents

Background and Purpose: Latinx adolescents face significant disparities in accessing needed healthcare, which may be influenced by experiences of discrimination. This study aims to investigate the association between discrimination and forgoing healthcare among Latinx adolescents, as well as to explore potential disparities in access to different types of healthcare, including medical, vision, hearing, dental, and mental healthcare. The study objectives include examining the prevalence of discrimination and forgoing healthcare among Latinx adolescents, identifying the specific types of healthcare most affected by discrimination, and and exploring variations in the association between discrimination and healthcare access based on primary language spoken at home.

Methods: This study utilized data from the National Survey of Children's Health (2017-2021), focusing on a sample of 6,917 Latinx adolescents aged 10-17. Logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the association between discrimination and forgoing healthcare, adjusting for potential confounders such as age, gender, insurance status, and primary language spoken at home. Stratified analysis by primary language spoken at home was conducted to explore variations in the association between discrimination and forgoing healthcare.

Results: The results indicate a significant association between discrimination and forgoing healthcare among Latinx adolescents (OR = 2.13, 95% CI [1.28-3.52], aOR = 2.22, 95% CI [1.34-3.70], p = 0.003), with mental healthcare being the most affected (OR = 2.43, 95% CI [1.15-5.11], aOR = 2.37, 95% CI [1.11-5.02], p = 0.02). Stratified analysis by primary language spoken at home revealed that among Latinx adolescents with English as their primary language at home, discrimination was significantly associated with forgoing mental healthcare (OR = 2.77, 95% CI [1.23-6.24], aOR = 2.89, 95% CI [1.25-6.69], p = 0.01), while this association was not significant among Latinx adolescents with another primary language at home (OR = 1.67, 95% CI [0.37-7.51], aOR = 1.70, 95% CI [0.39-7.44], p = 0.50), suggesting potential linguistic and cultural influences on healthcare access disparities.

Conclusions and Implications: These findings underscore the significant impact of discrimination on healthcare access among Latinx adolescents, particularly in accessing needed mental healthcare. Addressing discrimination and its consequences is crucial for promoting equitable access to healthcare and improving health outcomes for Latinx adolescents. Policies and interventions aimed at reducing discrimination and improving access to culturally competent healthcare services are needed to mitigate disparities and ensure the well-being of Latinx adolescents. Furthermore, recognizing the potential role of untreated mental health conditions as drivers of broader health disparities underscores the importance of addressing barriers to mental healthcare access within this population. Further research is warranted to delve deeper into these disparities and develop comprehensive strategies to mitigate them.