eSalud: designing and implementing culturally competent ehealth research with latino patient populations.

Abstract

eHealth is characterized by technology-enabled processes, systems, and applications that expedite accurate, real-time health information, feedback, and skill development to advance patient-centered care. When designed and applied in a culturally competent manner, eHealth tools can be particularly beneficial for traditionally marginalized ethnic minority groups, such as Latinos, a group that has been identified as being at the forefront of emerging technology use in the United States. In this analytic overview, we describe current eHealth research that has been conducted with Latino patient populations. In addition, we highlight cultural and linguistic factors that should be considered during the design and implementation of eHealth interventions with this population. With increasing disparities in preventive care information, behaviors, and services, as well as health care access in general, culturally competent eHealth tools hold great promise to help narrow this gap and empower communities.