Educating Hispanics

about Health

8 Mar 16, Group 10

Population at a glance
Demographics
Hispanics are any person of Cuban,
Mexican; South or Central
American or other Spanish culture
or origin, regardless of race.
According to the 2012 US Census
Bureau population estimate, there
are almost 53 million people who
identify as Hispanic living in the
United States. This group
represents 16.9% of the total US
population or 1 in 6 people.
In 2012, among Hispanics in the US
the subgroup percentages were:
Mexicans 64.3%
Puerto Ricans 9.4%
Central Americans 9.0%
South Americans 5.9%
Cubans 3.7%

Top 10 Leading Causes of Death

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Heart Disease
Malignant Neoplasms
Accidents & adverse effects
HIV
Homicide & legal
intervention
Cerebrovascular diseases
Diabetes Mellitus
Chronic liver disease &
cirrhosis
Pneumonia & influenza
Birth defects

Hispanic Americans have the same top

two leading causes of death as nonHispanic whites, however, Hispanics
have higher rates of cancers related to
infections. They are also more likely
to have cancer detected at a later
stage.

Priority Health Concerns

Hispanics have lower mortality rates
but are at a greater risk for chronic
illnesses and disease when compared
to non-Hispanic whites. For the
Hispanic community, developing a
chronic disease is more of a concern
than mortality. In other words, they
would rather die than develop a
chronic disease because it affects every
aspect of their lives.
Compared to non-Hispanic whites,
Hispanics have:
35% less heart disease
49% less cancer
50% higher death rate from
diabetes
24% more poorly controlled
high blood pressure
23% more obesity

References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015). Hispanic Health. Retrieved from www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/hispanic-health/index.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2008). Cultural Insights: Communicating with Hispanics/Latinos. Retrieved from
www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/pdf/audience/audienceinsight_culturalinsights.pdf
Doyle, E., Ward, S., Oome-Early, J. (2010).The Process of Community Health Education and Promotion: Second Edition. Pg. 91.
United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health.(2014). Profile: Hispanics/Latino Americans. Retrieved from
minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/browse.aspx?lvl=3&lvlid=64

Tips for Working with Hispanics

When targeting a specific

subgroup of Hispanics for an
ad campaign or national
program, consider where they
live. Most Mexicans live in the
west (55%), 77% of Cubans
live in the south, and 59% of
Puerto Ricans live in the north

To establish trust with

Hispanic patients consider
asking about their well-being
and recent activities of their
family. Be patient, it takes
time to build a rapport with
Hispanic patients and gain
their trust

Be as consistent as possible in
your interactions with
Hispanics and openly admit
when you make mistakes
Be sensitive of language
barriers and have Spanish
materials on hand
Do not assume that a smile or
a nod of a head indicates
understanding. Hispanic
patients respect authority
therefore it is common for
them to give positive
nonverbal cues. Be sure to ask
patients to repeat back in their
own words what they have
learned

Population characteristics
Positive Health Indicators

Strong sense of community

Strong family structure
Low levels of smoking and
illicit drug use

Healthcare Seeking Behaviors

Hispanics who cannot

afford western health
services often turn to
traditional practices
The matriarch of the family
determines if medical
attention is needed but the
patriarch has to give
approval
Regardless of insurance
status, Mexicans in the
U.S. may make trips to
Mexico to purchase
medications at lower costs.
Hispanics have the highest
uninsured rates (32%) of
any ethnic group in the
U.S.
Hispanics have fewer
primary care visits and
more emergency room
visits

Disparities
Social Factors that play a major role
in health for Hispanics living in the
U.S. are:

1 in 3 have not completed

high school
In 2012 26.6% of
Hispanics worked in
service occupations
compared to 15.2% of
non-Hispanic whites
1 in 3 does not speak
English well
Median income in 2012 for
Hispanic households was
$40,417 compared to
$56,565 in non-Hispanic
white households
1 in 4 lives below the
poverty line
In 2012, 29% of Hispanic
population was not
covered by health
insurance compared to
10.4% of non- Hispanic
whites