Write For Your Organization: A 3-Page Impact Report ✓ Solved

Write for your organization a 3 page impact report regarding

Write for your organization a 3 page impact report regarding the health concerns of a new immigrant population. Describe the population's health concerns and issues, explain current pharmacological treatments, and explain how culture and traditional practices may affect use of pharmacology. Identify evidence-based strategies for the organization and nursing staff to use to educate the population and promote health and wellness. Choose one of the global areas below as the source population: Sub-Saharan Africa, India, China, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Jamaica, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Mexico. Research the most common health concerns and issues for immigrants from the chosen area, the pharmacological treatments likely to be prescribed, and any cultural values or traditional practices that may impact patient outcomes. In the report: describe the health concerns and issues for the population; describe current pharmacological treatment regimens for the main concerns; explain traditional beliefs and practices associated with the concerns and whether culturally based treatments are used; explain how cultural values and traditional practices might affect acceptance and use of prescribed pharmacological treatments, considering the relationship between quality patient outcomes, patient safety, and appropriate pharmacology use; identify evidence-based, culturally sensitive strategies the organization can use to educate the population about correct pharmacology use; identify evidence-based, culturally sensitive strategies nursing staff can employ to promote health and wellness.

Paper For Above Instructions

Executive Summary

This impact report addresses anticipated pharmacological needs for newly arriving immigrants from Mexico. The report summarizes common health concerns observed in Mexican immigrant populations, outlines typical pharmacological regimens for those conditions, examines cultural beliefs and traditional practices that may influence medication acceptance and adherence, and recommends evidence-based, culturally sensitive strategies the organization and nursing staff can implement to improve patient safety, quality outcomes, and community health.

Population Overview

Mexican immigrants represent a large segment of recent arrivals in many U.S. communities. Common barriers include limited English proficiency, lower socioeconomic status, limited health insurance coverage, occupational exposures, and variable prior access to preventive care. These determinants shape patterns of illness and health service utilization (CDC, 2018; National Academies, 2016).

Primary Health Concerns and Issues

Key health concerns among Mexican immigrant adults include chronic diseases (type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia), mental health conditions (depression, anxiety, trauma-related disorders), infectious diseases (latent or active tuberculosis, parasitic infections in some subgroups), and occupational injuries related to manual labor (Kandula & Lauderdale, 2005; WHO, 2022). Preventive care gaps (eg, underimmunization, delayed cancer screening) are frequent and increase downstream morbidity.

Current Pharmacological Treatment Regimens

Treatment regimens align with national guidelines for common conditions: for type 2 diabetes, first-line metformin with escalation to SGLT2 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists, or insulin as clinically indicated (ADA, 2024). Hypertension management follows stepped therapy using ACE inhibitors or ARBs, calcium-channel blockers, and thiazide diuretics (AHA/ACC guidelines). For latent or active tuberculosis, standard multi-drug regimens (eg, isoniazid for latent TB; rifampin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, ethambutol for active disease) are used per WHO/CDC guidance (WHO, 2022; CDC, 2018). Mental health pharmacotherapy commonly includes SSRIs or SNRIs for depression and anxiety, with adjunctive psychotherapy when available (National Academies, 2016). Pharmacists and prescribers must consider renal/hepatic function, pregnancy status, and potential drug–drug and herb–drug interactions common in populations using traditional remedies (Viswanathan et al., 2010).

Cultural Beliefs, Traditional Practices, and Their Effects on Pharmacology Use

Traditional healing practices among Mexican immigrants often include use of herbal remedies (eg, nopal, chamomile, yerba santa), folk healers (curanderos), hot–cold illness paradigms, and family-centered decision-making (Giger, 2013). Beliefs such as fatalismo (a belief in fate) can influence engagement with chronic disease self-management and medication adherence. Language barriers and distrust of unfamiliar healthcare systems may lead families to prefer traditional remedies or delay initiating prescribed therapies (Flores, 2006). Herbal remedies can have pharmacodynamic or pharmacokinetic interactions (eg, induction or inhibition of cytochrome P450 enzymes), posing patient safety risks when not disclosed to clinicians (Henderson & Ortega, 2015). Understanding these practices is essential for safe prescribing, avoiding adverse reactions, and optimizing therapeutic outcomes.

Relationship Between Quality Outcomes, Patient Safety, and Pharmacology

Quality patient outcomes depend on safe, timely, and culturally congruent pharmacologic care. Medication nonadherence due to language, cost, or cultural beliefs reduces disease control and increases hospitalizations (Viswanathan et al., 2010). Unrecognized herb–drug interactions, incomplete medication reconciliation during transitions of care, and limited health literacy compromise patient safety. Implementing standardized medication reconciliation, language assistance, and culturally adapted education improves adherence and reduces preventable adverse drug events (AHRQ, 2014).

Evidence-Based, Culturally Sensitive Organizational Strategies

To prepare for this population, the organization should implement the following evidence-based strategies:

  • Engage promotores/ community health workers (CHWs) from the Mexican community to co-design outreach and medication education programs; CHW interventions improve chronic disease outcomes and adherence (Viswanathan et al., 2010; Balcazar et al., 2010).
  • Provide professional medical interpretation and translated medication materials at appropriate literacy levels; limited English proficiency is linked to poorer outcomes without interpretation services (Flores, 2006).
  • Create culturally adapted clinical pathways for chronic disease management that incorporate traditional beliefs where safe—for example, acknowledging benign herbal use while advising against specific interactions (Giger, 2013).
  • Ensure accessible medication access programs (sliding-scale clinics, sample medications, 340B partnerships) to reduce cost-related nonadherence.
  • Partner with local community organizations and faith leaders to host vaccination drives, TB screening, and chronic disease education in trusted community settings (National Academies, 2016).

Nursing Strategies to Promote Health and Wellness

Nurses play a pivotal role at the point of care. Recommended nursing strategies include:

  • Use teach-back methods in patients’ preferred language to confirm comprehension of dosing, side effects, and follow-up (AHRQ, 2014).
  • Conduct culturally sensitive medication reconciliation that explicitly asks about traditional medicines and home remedies to identify potential interactions (Henderson & Ortega, 2015).
  • Adopt family-centered education sessions that involve caregivers, using visual aids and medication calendars to support adherence (Balcazar et al., 2010).
  • Implement screening algorithms for TB, diabetes, hypertension, and mental health with clear referral pathways and medication support programs to connect patients to pharmacotherapy promptly.
  • Train nursing staff in cultural competence and implicit-bias mitigation to foster trust and improve patient engagement (Giger, 2013).

Conclusion

Preparing for an influx of Mexican immigrants requires a coordinated, culturally informed pharmacological strategy. Prioritizing language services, CHW engagement, medication access, and nurse-led culturally competent education will enhance medication safety, adherence, and quality outcomes. Integrating recognition of traditional practices into clinical conversations—without judgment—supports shared decision-making, reduces adverse interactions, and promotes wellness across this population.

References

  • American Diabetes Association. (2024). Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2024. Diabetes Care.
  • AHRQ. (2014). Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
  • Balcazar, H., Rosenthal, L., et al. (2010). Community health workers and promotores de salud: evidence and opportunities. Journal of Ambulatory Care Management, 33(3), 154–169.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2018). Immigrant and Refugee Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
  • Flores, G. (2006). Language barriers to health care in the United States. New England Journal of Medicine, 355, 229–231.
  • Giger, J. N. (2013). Transcultural Nursing: Assessment and Intervention. Elsevier.
  • Henderson, L., & Ortega, R. (2015). Herb–drug interactions and patient safety: a clinical review. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 169, 100–109.
  • National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2016). The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer People. National Academies Press.
  • Viswanathan, M., Kraschnewski, J., et al. (2010). Outcomes of community health worker interventions: A systematic review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
  • World Health Organization (WHO). (2022). Global Tuberculosis Report 2022. WHO Press.