Five Questions With: Dr. Pablo Rodriguez

"IT IS clear that the culture even in intensely Catholic countries is more sexual than ever, with images, movies, music, soap operas glorifying sex without consequences," said Dr. Pablo Rodriguez. /

Dr. Pablo Rodriguez, CEO of Women’s Care Inc., a major ob/gyn practice; associate chair for community relationships for obstetrics and gynecology at Women & Infants Hospital, and a professor at Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School, recently joined the board of directors of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health.
Founded in 1994, NLIRH is the nation’s leading advocacy group focused on Latina reproductive health, working to ensure that Latinas have access to the care they need through public education, community mobilization and policy advocacy.
Rodriguez, who was born and raised in Puerto Rico, is a prominent voice in Rhode Island both on women’s reproductive rights – he is former medical director of Planned Parenthood of Rhode Island – and as an advocate for the Latino community.
He answered questions about his work and the mission of NLIRH.

PBN: How big a share of your practice are Latinas, and what can you tell me about their socioeconomic backgrounds, health care history, cultural backgrounds?
RODRIGUEZ: I am not certain of the exact percentage of patients in the practice, but we are certain that we are the largest provider of reproductive health services for Latinas. The population we serve is a cross-section of the community. Approximately 36 percent of Latinos live below poverty in Rhode Island, according to the U.S. Census. Hispanic single-parent families are more likely than other single parent families to live in poverty. Most Latinos in Rhode Island are foreign-born, and according to the Pew Center, 49 percent of immigrants who have been here for less than five years have no regular source of health care.

PBN: How important is RIte Care to Rhode Island Latinas’ ability to access health care?
RODRIGUEZ: [Given the high poverty rates], programs such RIte Care are essential for the health of these families. But according to the R.I. Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner, 32 percent of the uninsured in Rhode Island, or 37,871 people, are low-income families who are currently income-eligible for Medicaid or RIte Care but are not enrolled. Expanded Medicaid outreach efforts are needed to reach them. Many Hispanic women qualify for benefits but do not access them until they are pregnant.

PBN: The NLIRH is an explicitly pro-choice, pro-reproductive freedom organization, and yet Latinos have historically been intensely Catholic and anti-abortion. How does that work out in trying to build a Latina women’s reproductive health movement, as NLIRH seeks to do?
RODRIGUEZ: In terms of the NILRH and abortion, it is important to note that religion has never stopped the need, and women in countries where illegal abortion is rampant are very familiar with the consequences of lack of safe access. It is also clear that the culture even in intensely Catholic countries is more sexual than ever, with images, movies, music, soap operas glorifying sex without consequences. The role of the organization is to make sure that access is improved through education of not just women, but also providers. It is important for the health care community to understand that providing for Latinas is more than just direct translation of patient brochures. It is more than a language barrier; it is also cultural. There are a number of reproductive rights organizations all over Latin America. I attended an Unsafe Abortion conference in Mexico City last October hosted by the Population Council where activists from all over Latin America gathered to share ideas and data.

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PBN: Through “Nuestra Salud” and other work you’ve done on Latin Public Radio, you’re doing a lot to educate the Latino community about health care issues. What have you learned from your radio work, and how has it informed both your practice and your advocacy?
RODRIGUEZ: The success that we have experienced with Latino Public Radio and the “Nuestra Salud” program is precisely because we have become the translators of the vital health information for the community. It is important to understand the culture in order to reach them where they are. There is a natural distrust of institutions, especially if you are undocumented. We have gained the trust and attention of the community, and that has allowed us to deliver messages that others have not been able to deliver. Through the show we have also become aware of the basic lack of knowledge about health and science, and that is why we received the grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop a model curriculum using the radio in order to increase health and science literacy.

PBN: You’re also doing a new show, “Sin Seguro” (Without Insurance). Tell us more about it.
RODRIGUEZ: Latinos are the largest ethnic group without health insurance; 15.5 million of the estimated 47 million uninsured are Latinos, and most of them are employed! For the undocumented, the situation is even worse, simply because they are afraid to even apply or access services that may be available for them, for fear of deportation. [Through this new show], we have become a resource for the community; we plan to highlight all the services and benefits that people may access if they find themselves in this predicament.

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