ABOUT US

South Carolina has the fastest growing Latino population in the nation.  The increase in the number of Spanish-speaking residents has been recent enough that the cultural norms and health beliefs of the Spanish-speaking population are not well understood by health care providers. 

The Office of Hispanic Health Initiatives in the MUSC College of Nursing has received grant funding from The Duke Endowment, Health Resources and Services Administration, Communities In Schools and The National Libraries of Medicine. The following are HHI’s four main purposes: 

• Expand the knowledge and skills of health care providers to deliver culturally sensitive and effective care to the Hispanic community in South Carolina and improve access and quality of care for this population 
• Implement and coordinate educational and clinical programs to reduce health disparities in the growing Hispanic community in South Carolina 
• Promote interdisciplinary and interagency state-wide collaboration as a strategy for the development of multicultural resources to serve the Hispanic community
• Increase recruitment and retention of Hispanic students and faculty in nursing and other health professional fields

Language barriers, poverty, and cultural differences are associated with utilization of fewer preventive services, increased use of hospital emergency rooms, and less satisfaction with care among Hispanics.  The growing Hispanic community in the Low Country mandates creative approaches that address issues of access, quality, and satisfaction with health services.