Health Care Utilization by Low-Income Clients of a Community Clinic: An Archival Study

Chicano Drug Abuse Patterns: Using Archival Data to Test Hypotheses

The importance of cultural factors in models of Chicano drug use is reviewed. Prior research indicated that heroin and inhalants were particularly problematic among Chicanos, but these findings were limited by reactive methods of data collection. In the present work, archival data were used to examine two hypotheses based on previous work. California drug treatment records were studied to confirm the disproportionate use of heroin and inhalants by Chicanos. It was also found that phencyclidine was disproportionately used by Chicanos. Results are discussed with respect to the need for culturally relevant drug abuse treatment and prevention.

Mexican Americans' perceptions of culturally competent care

Although the literature abounds with authors' discussions of the need for nurses and other health care providers to deliver safe and optimal care to patients of diverse ethnic groups, little work has focused on defining and measuring the dimensions of culturally competent care. The purpose of this research was to identify culturally competent concepts from the perspective of Mexican Americans. Focus group interviews with Mexican American registered nurses and Mexican American lay recipients of health care were used to explore the participants' subjective perceptions regarding the indicators of culturally competent care. For this group of Mexican American registered nurses, the influence of culture remained strong despite nursing professional experience and knowledge of Western biomedical system. The predominance of themes emphasizing respect, caring, understanding, and patience in health care encounters support the critical importance of personal processes of health care with Hispanics.