Reluctant Realism: Health Care Attitudes in an Urban Latino Community

Health care encounters and decision-making are difficult for everyone and particularly problematic for underserved populations facing cultural, economic, and linguistic barriers. In response to the observation of local medical professionals that Latino communities are on periphery of health care decision-making, Dr. Margaret McLean and Dr. Margaret Graham implemented a study of health care attitudes among San Jose Latinos. Dr. McLean and Dr. Graham will present their structured conversational model and the results of this study including participants views of death and dying, participants interactions with the health care system, and participants concerns about discussing health issues with family members.

Margaret R. McLean, Ph.D., is Director of Biotechnology and Healthcare Ethics at Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University and director of Applied Ethics Center at O'Connor Hospital.

Margaret A. Graham Ph.D., is Director for Applied Anthropology Special Emphasis, Anthropology Program, Department of Anthropology-Sociology, Santa Clara University and Assistant Professor for the Department of Anthropology-Sociology, Santa Clara University.