Hispanic Patients: A Linguo-Cultural Minority

Abstract

Verbal communication is essential to psychiatry, and language is its indispensable tool. Neurological, emotional, behavioral, intellectual and cultural factors are intrinsically involved in the use of language competence and preference, native tongue and bilingualism. Language also influences one's own understanding of health and illness. Reframing the "minority" concept so that Hispanics can be perceived as a linguo-cultural minority can, undoubtedly, help considerably in the understanding of the problems faced by the Hispanic populations in the United States. Linguo-cultural discrimination leads to undereducation, underemployment and limited economic success. Further linguo-cultural barriers leads to underutilization of services, diagnostic errors and poor treatment. This paper addresses all these issues, and attempts to present solutions and guidelines for further research in this area.