Issues in achieving compliance with antihypertensive treatment in the Latino population.
Latino Americans are the largest growing ethnic minority group in the United States. The level of awareness and control of hypertension among Latino Americans has remained virtually unchanged in the past 20 years. Untreated hypertension often progresses and is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Hypertension control can be achieved with simple and well-tolerated medication regimens that are cost-effective and reduce morbidity and mortality in all populations studied. Clinicians can work to increase compliance by developing a basic understanding of the social, demographic, and historical conditions that affect Latino Americans. Language proficiency, cultural scripts, and health beliefs and attitudes influence patient-clinician communication in specific ways among Latino patients. Health care systems and plans should work on creating culturally competent health care programs to serve the needs of this diverse population.
Perez-Stable
Eliseo J
EJ
Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Medical Effectiveness Research Center for Diverse Populations, University of California San Francisco, California 94143-0320, USA. eliseops@medicine.ucsf.edu
Salazar
Rene
R
D003144:Communication Barriers; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D003469:Culture; D004032:Diet; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000208:ethnology*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000208:ethnology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology