Healthcare access is limited for Mexican Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker men. Low English proficiency and education level contribute to power differentials limiting health literacy and agency. Language policy considering the concept of vulgaridad (common language) equalize power dynamics between provider and patient, potentially decreasing health disparity with sensitive topics such as HIV/AIDS.
Access to health care and essential services are major concerns for those who provide care for Mexican migrant and seasonal farmworker communities (MMSF). Health risks related to several deadly illnesses, such as HIV/AIDS, generate a challenge in providing services and produce major health burdens for all ethnicities, especially marginalized migrant populations. Low English proficiency provides a challenge to alleviating health disparity among MMSF in the United States. Along with low English proficiency, education level contributes to variations in power dynamics in health care. Language policy directly affects health literacy and an individual’s agency. Language policy should be considered when evaluating issues of health disparity. This discussion is a part of a larger study evaluating perceptions and experiences male MMSF living in the US have surrounding HIV/AIDS. As part of this study, a qualitative, ethnographic approach, including participant-observation and interview, is utilized to examine gender and culture. Data collected from a MMSF community in Colorado were analyzed using narrative analysis and sociocultural theory to answer three research questions surrounding language, gender, and culture reflected in the way MMSF talk about HIV/AIDS. This study implicates the importance of language on vulgaridad (common language) for help seeking behavior. Though policies are in place regarding health care access and language use in the U.S., participants in this study have discussed the importance of common language over academic language use as an important component of health literacy. MMSF commonly lack formal education and are more comfortable with vulgaridad as a language practice in explaining medically sensitive topics such as HIV/AIDS. The need for language policy to consider cultural and gendered nuances such as vulgaridad is an effective expansion of non-official components of language policy. These considerations will likely improve health literacy, health care access, and subsequent health outcomes, equalizing power dynamics between provider and patient.
