Problem
Minority groups, Latinx women included, are too often absent from the narrative surrounding health policy and healthcare outcomes. As part of the fastest growing populations in the United States, Latinas are dangerously underrepresented in health research, resulting in insufficient and/or inaccurate information about their specific demographic.
Causes
1. There are outdated beliefs, such as the 1975 Referent Man, in place that define a young, white, cis-male as the norm for medical research. By using these beliefs, medical research is relevant mainly to White individuals and is not applicable to minority groups such as Latinas.
2. Health research such as clinical trials often fail to diversify their pool of participants, which produces results catered to the White population. Often times, Latinas are discouraged from participating in clinical trials due to a lack of knowledge about the trial and the inability to consult their English-speaking physicians for advice.
Issue of Information
This serves as an issue of information because it creates a lack of knowledge about the way they respond to certain drugs or treatments. Without the dissemination of accurate information about Latinas' bodies and with the presence of implicit bias (Reference Man), it becomes nearly impossible to provide these women with the care best suited for their specific needs.