How Limited English Proficiency Affects the Health of Latin American Immigrants in the United States

According to the National Library of Medicine, Latinx people make up the largest ethnic minoritized group in the United States (2023). About 25.3 million people in the United States have Limited English Proficiency, and of those, over 60% are Spanish speaking (Nathenson et al., 2016) LEP has been shown to affect many aspects of health care, including access to medical care, status of health, accessibility to health services, communication between patient and provider, quality of care, and satisfaction with care (Flores, 2020). Latin American immigrants often encounter systemic discrimination in the health-care system due to language barriers and race. As a result, they do not seek proper medical care for their physical and mental ailments. Through the sociological theories of Critical Race Theory and Acculturation Theory, this study will examine how systemic racism in the health-care system affects the health of Latin American immigrants and how negative experiences with health care providers due to LEP can result in feelings of inferiority.