Description

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One book every health care professional needs!
By 2030 Latinos will comprise roughly 20 percent of the population of the United States. Growing numbers of health professionals are realizing the importance of understanding Latino cultural values as they impact the clinical encounter. Such knowledge can enhance their ability to communicate with and treat Latino patients effectively and respectfully.
The Latino Patient provides an in-depth exploration of Latino diversity, relevant cultural values, health status, beliefs, and practices; and effective communication strategies. The author has developed an original, practice-oriented model that leads the reader from greeting the patient to ultimately negotiating treatment. The book is hands-on and provides numerous vignettes gleaned from the author's experience. The Latino Patient should be high-priority reading for physicians, nurses, physician's assistants, therapists, clinical psychologists, social workers and other clinicians.

About the Author

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Nilda Chong, M.D., PhD, MPH, is Director of the Institute for Culturally CompetentCare, for Kaiser Permanente, the nation's largest Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). She has an extensive network of both governmental and private-sector contacts through her diverse consulting and advisory capacities, including Kaiser Permanente International, Tobacco Education Clearinghouse of California, The U.S. Surgeon General's Office and the California Medical Association.

Praise For…

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Dr. Chong has gathered an impressive compendium of useful and relevant information in a humanized approached to caring for the Latino patient. With the wisdom of her own experiences, Dr. Chong calls the medical world to task in providing effective, culturally competent ... treatment. I highly recommend this outstanding resource.—Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanti, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor in Preventive Medicine, W. M. Keck School of Medicine

The Latino Patient is a very lucid summary of the principles of cultural competence that should be understood by every health care provider who serves Latino patients. Dr. Nilda Chong has distilled her years of experience in working with these patients to produce a work that is both informative and a pleasure to read.—Mohammad N. Akhter, MD, MPH, Executive Director, American Public Health Association

Nilda Chong has written a highly readable, practical guide that tells non-Latino health care professionals exactly what they need to know to have effective, meaningful relationships with their Latino patients. Reading this book has enhanced my appreciation of Latino culture and made me a better doctor.—Terry Stein, MD, Director, Clinician-Patient Communication, The Permanente Medical Group, Kaiser Permanente

[Considering] the very large number of Latinos living in the US and the all-too-few Latino health providers available, it is a given that the vast number of Latinos in the US will be cared for by non-Latino health providers. Dr. Chong has written a concise yet comprehensive book to help non-Latinos serve Latino patients more effectively and achieve better compliance. In fact, her message is worthwhile in terms of how we should treat all of our clients - with dignity, concern and compassion. I highly recommend The Latino Patient.—Fernando M. Trevino, PhD, MPH, Dean and Professor, School of Public Health, University of North Texas Health Science Center

Nilda Chong has captured the essence of cross-cultural communication with Latino patients in the United States. When I was reading The Latino Patient, it felt like my family, my traditions, and my understanding of my culture were being explained to non-Latino physicians in a clear, respectful and concise way. Nilda has taken a difficult concept and explained it in a way that is easy to comprehend and use, providing multiple examples and vignettes to address each point.—Adriana Linares, MD, MPH, Latino Caucus Chair (2002-2003), American Public Health Association

The Latino Patient offers clinicians a pathway toward providing culturally competent care to the fastest growing population in the country.—Guadalupe Pacheco, Public Health Advisor, US Department of Health and Human Services

In The Latino Patient, Dr. Chong bestows upon the reader her years of experience and wisdom in navigating the often complex interaction between Latinos and the health care system. Combining medically relevant background information, current research models and illustrative clinical vignettes, The Latino Patient serves as a valuable skills-building and reference tool for health care practitioners and support staff.—Jeffrey R. Conly, Second-Year Medical Student, Temple University School of Medicine

The Latino Patient gives health care workers a bird's-eye view of the Latino community from many angles. The overall message is clear: How can you effectively treat patients unless you have some understanding of their beliefs and desires? Amazingly, the principles of cultural understanding laid out in this book can be employed by health care workers to better serve all communities, a focus that is severely lacking in the American health care landscape today.—Richard Cano, Second-Year Medical Student, Stanford University School of Medicine