Cardiovascular disease in South Asian immigrants facing adverse socioeconomic circumstances: challenges and opportunities for enhanced management.

Abstract

Purpose of review: To describe the challenges that health professionals often face when attempting to provide optimal primary and secondary prevention care of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) to South Asian immigrant patients who face adverse socioeconomic factors, such as many of the South Asian men and women who live in Catalonia, and to present a number of constructive approaches that can help minimize those barriers.

Recent findings: The challenges include limited health literacy, frequent language barriers, cultural factors that limit the relevance of standard lifestyle advice, financial barriers, limited access to preventive care, racism, and other barriers. Approaches that can help minimize them and enhance the quality of secondary cardiovascular preventive care in this group include empathy, using support from cultural mediators, enhanced proficiency using readily available translation programs, approaches that minimize financial barriers and simplify treatment regimes, and provision of more culturally competent lifestyle advice, among others.

Summary: We hope that the notions included in this review will help physicians and healthcare system managers around the world become more aware and culturally competent when treating South Asian patients with ASCVD. The ongoing Pul-Cat and other studies will illuminate the most effective steps moving forward.