Ongoing challenges in access to diabetes care among the indigenous population: perspectives of individuals living in rural Guatemala.
Edwin Nieblas-BedollaKent D W BreamAllison RollinsFrances K BargPublished in: International journal for equity in health (2019)
Both structural and cultural barriers continue to impact diabetes care for indigenous communities in rural Guatemala. The interviews in this study suggest that indigenous people experience mistrust in the health care system, unreliable access to care, and mental health comorbidity in the context of type 2 diabetes care. These experiences are shaped by the complex relationship among poverty, gender, and indigeneity in this region. Targeted interventions that are conscious of these factors may increase their chances of success when attempting to address similar health disparities in comparable populations.