Health Disparities
Health Disparities- By: Daniel Greene
The office of management and budget defines Latino or Hispanic as, “A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.” According to the census there are over 52 million Latinos or Hispanics living in the US which makes for the nation’s largest ethnic group.
“In 2010, 23.2% of elementary and high school students were Hispanic, but only 6.2% of college students were Hispanic. As of July 1, 2011, the state with the largest Hispanic population was California (14.4 million), and the state with the highest percentage of Hispanic population was New Mexico (46.7%). The percentage of Hispanics who lacked health insurance in 2010 was 30.7%.” (CDC)
The ten leading causes of death among Latinos or Hispanics are as follows: Cancer, Heart disease, unintentional injuries, stroke, diabetes, cirrhosis, lower respiratory disease, the flu or pneumonia, homicide, nephrosis. Some important health issues for Latinos: asthma, chagas disease, HIV/AIDS, obesity, teen pregnancy, smoking or tobacco use, infant mortality.
Health disparities for Latinos:
· The racial/ethnic disparity in both income and education, compared with non-Hispanic whites was greatest for Hispanics and non-Hispanic American Indians/Alaska Natives.
· Next to Non-Hispanic blacks, Hispanics and American Indians/Alaska Natives had the highest percentages of householders living in inadequate, unhealthy housing.
· Hispanics were more likely to reside in counties that did not meet the standard for ozone in comparison with non-Hispanic whites.
· Hispanics had substantially higher uninsured rates, compared with Asian/Pacific Islanders and non-Hispanic whites.
· Lower influenza vaccination coverage was observed for Hispanics, compared with non-Hispanic whites, among all persons aged > 6 months during the 2009-10 influenza season.
· Among males aged ≤20 years, the prevalence of obesity was highest among Mexican-Americans, as compared to non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks.
· During 2004-2007, the rate of preventable hospitalizations was higher among Hispanics, compared with non-Hispanic whites.
· Hispanics continued to experience a disproportionate burden of HIV diagnoses.
· In 2008, the birth rate for Hispanic adolescents was approximately 5 times the rate for Asian/Pacific Islander adolescents, 3 times the rate for non-Hispanic white adolescents, and somewhat higher than the rates for non-Hispanic black and American Indian/Alaska Native adolescents.
The office of management and budget defines Latino or Hispanic as, “A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.” According to the census there are over 52 million Latinos or Hispanics living in the US which makes for the nation’s largest ethnic group.
“In 2010, 23.2% of elementary and high school students were Hispanic, but only 6.2% of college students were Hispanic. As of July 1, 2011, the state with the largest Hispanic population was California (14.4 million), and the state with the highest percentage of Hispanic population was New Mexico (46.7%). The percentage of Hispanics who lacked health insurance in 2010 was 30.7%.” (CDC)
The ten leading causes of death among Latinos or Hispanics are as follows: Cancer, Heart disease, unintentional injuries, stroke, diabetes, cirrhosis, lower respiratory disease, the flu or pneumonia, homicide, nephrosis. Some important health issues for Latinos: asthma, chagas disease, HIV/AIDS, obesity, teen pregnancy, smoking or tobacco use, infant mortality.
Health disparities for Latinos:
· The racial/ethnic disparity in both income and education, compared with non-Hispanic whites was greatest for Hispanics and non-Hispanic American Indians/Alaska Natives.
· Next to Non-Hispanic blacks, Hispanics and American Indians/Alaska Natives had the highest percentages of householders living in inadequate, unhealthy housing.
· Hispanics were more likely to reside in counties that did not meet the standard for ozone in comparison with non-Hispanic whites.
· Hispanics had substantially higher uninsured rates, compared with Asian/Pacific Islanders and non-Hispanic whites.
· Lower influenza vaccination coverage was observed for Hispanics, compared with non-Hispanic whites, among all persons aged > 6 months during the 2009-10 influenza season.
· Among males aged ≤20 years, the prevalence of obesity was highest among Mexican-Americans, as compared to non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks.
· During 2004-2007, the rate of preventable hospitalizations was higher among Hispanics, compared with non-Hispanic whites.
· Hispanics continued to experience a disproportionate burden of HIV diagnoses.
· In 2008, the birth rate for Hispanic adolescents was approximately 5 times the rate for Asian/Pacific Islander adolescents, 3 times the rate for non-Hispanic white adolescents, and somewhat higher than the rates for non-Hispanic black and American Indian/Alaska Native adolescents.