The immigrant Latino population in Utah confronts a range of socioeconomic and systemic challenges that adversely affect their access to healthcare services and health outcomes.
Although Utah’s Latino population increased by over 50% from 2010 to 2020, it continues to face numerous obstacles in obtaining quality healthcare. These barriers include language differences, cultural misunderstandings and a lack of resources to foster trust and support within the complexities of the U.S. healthcare system. A promising solution to these issues lies in training more Latino medical students to become the next generation of culturally and structurally competent healthcare providers.
Hispanic and Latino physicians are markedly underrepresented in the medical field, constituting only 5.8% of active physicians while representing 19% of the U.S. population. According to the 2020 Census, Utah ranks 18th nationally for the percentage of Latino or Hispanic residents, which is about 14%. In contrast, Utah ranks lower nationally regarding the percentage of Latino physicians.
As of the latest data, approximately 3% of physicians in Utah identify as Latinos. Enhancing Latino representation at the University of Utah School of Medicine could yield significant health benefits for immigrant patients. Furthermore, an increase in Latino medical students would not only improve healthcare outcomes for immigrant patients but also create a self-reinforcing process that inspires future generations and diversifies the physician workforce both in Utah and nationwide.
To realize these benefits, medical schools must proactively recruit Latino students, implement mentorship programs and provide financial support to overcome barriers to entry. Policymakers should increase funding for educational programs that prepare Latino students for medical careers from an early age.
However, as of Jan. 30, the Utah legislature passed HB261 — a bill that effectively dismantles diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts in public schools and universities. This legislation prohibits public school programs from using terms like “diversity, equity and inclusion” and forbids universities and government entities from maintaining dedicated diversity promotion offices. Considered one of the most extensive anti-DEI measures in the country, HB261 has had, and will continue to have, significant repercussions.
In response to HB261, the University of Utah has shuttered three prominent centers: The LGBT Resource Center, the Women’s Resource Center and the Center for Equity and Student Belonging. Additionally, the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine’s Office of Health, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion has been rebranded as the Office of Academic Culture and Community to comply with the new law. The removal of diversity-focused initiatives reinforces a sense of exclusion among underrepresented groups, potentially decreasing enrollment of diverse students, increasing attrition rates and negatively impacting academic outcomes, particularly for first-generation students.
The repercussions of HB261 extend beyond the reduction of diversity within student bodies. The bill is likely to have adverse effects on immigrant health outcomes by diminishing diversity in Utah’s healthcare workforce. It will likely hinder the recruitment and retention of diverse medical students and healthcare professionals, negatively impacting health outcomes for immigrant patients. Research consistently shows that patients experience better outcomes when treated by providers who share similar cultural backgrounds. Eliminating programs designed to enhance diversity and inclusion will exacerbate health disparities and deepen the mistrust of medical institutions prevalent in vulnerable communities.
As a non-Hispanic medical student fluent in Spanish, I have witnessed firsthand the strengths and limitations of the patient care I can offer to Spanish speaking patients. Accessing healthcare in one’s native language fosters greater trust and security for patients, but a shared cultural background can further offer additional benefits that enhance healthcare outcomes. Physicians from the same cultural background can better understand subtle cultural beliefs, practices and values that influence health behaviors and treatment preferences. This understanding goes beyond language, allowing for more nuanced communication. Physicians familiar with a patient’s culture are better equipped to address traditional health beliefs and practices sensitively and to integrate them into treatment plans when appropriate.
While it may not always be possible for physicians to share the exact cultural background of every patient, promoting a diverse healthcare workforce and fostering structural competency among all healthcare providers can help bridge these gaps and improve overall patient care. Structural competency redefines the approach to health inequalities by emphasizing the impact of social, political and economic structures on health outcomes, rather than solely focusing on cultural differences. Understanding the root causes of symptoms in marginalized populations requires recognizing the systemic biases and inequities that shape health and illness long before clinical interactions occur. Addressing these systemic changes is crucial for ensuring that the Latino immigrant community in Utah receives equitable, effective and patient-centered healthcare tailored to individual needs.
(Magali de Sauvage) Magali de Sauvage is a second-year MD-PhD student at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah.
Magali de Sauvage is a second-year MD-PhD student at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah. Born and raised in San Francisco to Belgian immigrant parents, Magali attended UC Berkeley to study Molecular environmental biology and is deeply committed to bridging the divides between research, medicine and public health to improve accessibility to patient-centered care for all.
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