Abstract 4363504: Impact of Limited English Proficiency on Access to Care and Quality of Care in Hispanic Americans with Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract

Background: Hispanic Americans with cardiovascular disease (CVD) have historically faced limited access to healthcare. However, the influence of limited English proficiency (LEP) on access to and quality of care in Hispanic Americans with CVD remains unclear. Methods: The 2023 Centers for Disease Control’s Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey was utilized to identify a cohort of Hispanic Americans with CVD. Hispanic adults with and without LEP were defined as those who completed the survey in Spanish and English, respectively. Access to care and quality of care were compared between both groups. Results: Among 2,891 Hispanic Americans with CVD, 1,247 (43.1%) reported LEP while 1,592 (55.1%) did not. While rates of diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease (15.3%), current asthma, and obesity (41.8%) were similar in between both groups, Hispanic Americans with LEP had significantly lower rates of health insurance (78.2 vs 94.2%, p<0.001), and annual medical checkup rate (84.9 vs 89.2%, p<0.001), and more frequently reported financial barriers to care (25.9 vs 18.9%, p<0.001). Hispanic Americans with LEP also had lower rates of annual cholesterol testing (81.6 vs 84.9%, p=0.026) and influenza vaccination rate (44.4 vs 48.4%, p=0.045). On multivariate analysis, Hispanic Americans with LEP was independently associated with lower rates of health insurance (OR [odds ratio] 3.40, 95% CI [confidence interval] 2.54-4.54). Conclusion: LEP was associated with significantly impaired access to care and quality of care in Hispanic Americans with CVD. These findings underscore the impact of language barriers on healthcare equity and further research is warranted to understand these disparities and address these gaps.