Health challenges facing Hispanic Americans
Hispanic Heritage months runs September 15 – October 15. During these 30 days, the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky is raising awareness for the health challenges and disparities that Hispanic Americans face. Hispanic adults are less likely than other Americans to have health insurance and to receive preventative medical care. This can have serious impacts on a person’s health.
Health disparities include:
Hispanic adults are more likely than non-Hispanic white adults to be diagnosed with diabetes.
Hispanic or Latino people have higher rates of kidney failure caused by diabetes, as well as diabetes-related vision loss and blindness.
Hispanic American men and women generally have lower cancer rates than the non-Hispanic white population. However:
Hispanic men and women are almost twice as likely to have, and to die from, liver cancer than non-Hispanic whites.
Hispanic men and women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with stomach cancer and twice as likely to die from stomach cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic white men and women.
Hispanic Americans accounted for almost 30 percent of all HIV infection cases in 2019.
In 2018, Hispanics were 50 percent less likely to have received mental health treatment as compared to non-Hispanic whites.
Why is this? Upstream factors, called social drivers of health, are key contributors of health inequities. They include employment, income, race, ethnicity, language, housing, access to health care, education, and much more.
According to a recent Pew Research Center survey:
Hispanic Americans cite working in occupations with health risks as the top factor for health disparities among Hispanic people in the U.S.
About half (48%) say less access to quality medical care where they live is a major reason for worse health outcomes among Hispanic people in the U.S.
Forty-four percent say language barriers or cultural differences are major reasons why Hispanic people have generally worse health outcomes than other adults in the U.S.
What can be done?
Increase access to health insurance for Hispanic Americans
Decrease barriers to getting preventive care by increasing health care access
Provide medical students with training to increase provision of culturally competent care
Reduce stigma of mental health care
Sources:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health