Healthcare Barriers for Punjabi Elders

Hello my name is Ekampreet Kaur and I am a first year student at UC Berkeley, majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology. This post is to expose the various healthcare barriers many individuals experience, particularly in our Punjabi community. As time goes on, our Punjabi elders experience various healthcare conditions, but instead of receiving the healthcare they need, they experience various linguistic, cultural, and systemic barriers. 

Language Barrier: As we see at our clinics, many Punjabi elders are comfortable speaking in Punjabi so they can clearly express their needs. However, there is still a lack of Punjabi representation in healthcare providers, creating difficulties for Punjabi elders to effectively communicate their health concerns because of their limited English proficiency. This linguistic gap also creates a lack of trust and a sense of a support system between patients and healthcare providers.

Cultural Barrier: There are also various cultural disparities with the various traditional beliefs and practices that Punjabi elders maintain, which may clash with Western medical approaches. This can create various misunderstandings or reluctance towards treatments. One example of this is how our elders are more comfortable using homeopathic medications, but their doctors prescribe them a crucial medication to maintain their cholesterol. The patient might not take the medication, as they believe it will clash with their long lasting homeopathic treatment. 

Systemic Barrier: In addition to linguistic and culture barriers, there are also various insurance procedures and medical protocols that Punjabi elders are unfamiliar with, thus they avoid medical care to avoid the further stress and tension. 

It is crucial that we address these barriers in the future to create a holistic approach that prioritizes cultural inclusivity in healthcare practices and overall accessible healthcare. This can be done with education initiatives, providing language interpretation services, and creating a safe environment.