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A message from
NCLR
Top 7 Illnesses Affecting Latinos
The key to reversing negative health trends
in the Hispanic community starts with awareness.
By Jennifer LeClaire
Though great improvements have been made over the
past few decades, Hispanics still face a number of challenges that
adversely impact their quality of life. Among these is health care
system access.
“There are language barriers, a shortage of Latino health
professionals, and a lack of cultural competency training among
non-Latino health care workers,” says Liany Arroyo, Director
of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) Institute for Hispanic
Health (IHH). These barriers exacerbate health disparities between
Latinos and other groups.
Statistics show Hispanics are also more likely than non-Hispanic
Whites to suffer from chronic health conditions such as heart disease
and diabetes, and are less likely to have access to a family doctor
to diagnose, treat, or control their medical conditions. Furthermore,
Hispanics are more likely than any other group of Americans to lack
health insurance. Many are forced to rely on emergency hospital
care or public clinics as their primary source of care. All of these
issues have led to a poor state of health among Hispanics in the
U.S.
The good news is that many diseases are preventable or treatable
if diagnosed early. Understanding the risk factors and warning signs
of various health conditions and knowing where to find information
are the first steps in curbing negative health trends.
Heart Disease
Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the U.S. among all
Americans, including Hispanics, according to the American Heart
Association. This can be attributed partly to insufficient knowledge
of how to protect heart health, particularly knowledge of the relationship
between lifestyle and risk factors for heart disease such as smoking,
high cholesterol, high blood pressure, lack of physical activity,
obesity and diabetes.
Diabetes
Rates for Hispanics with type 2 diabetes are growing dramatically,
according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC). The risk factors for developing the disease include inactivity,
high blood pressure, abnormal blood cholesterol levels, a family
history of diabetes and being overweight.
Obesity
Obesity is a growing problem in the Hispanic community —and
it starts young. According to the CDC, more than 60 percent of Hispanic
children will develop obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Excess weight can raise blood cholesterol levels, which in turn
raise the probability of a heart attack and coronary disease. Obesity
also contributes to high blood pressure and increases the probability
of developing diabetes. Diabetics are between two and four times
more likely to die from a heart attack than people who are not diabetics.
Chronic Liver Disease and Cirrhosis
Hispanics have the country’s highest rate of death from cirrhosis
of the liver, according to recent data from the American Liver Foundation.
Cirrhosis results when healthy liver cells are damaged and replaced
by scar tissue preventing the liver from performing many of its
vital functions. Alcoholic hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver
caused by alcohol, is believed to lead to cirrhosis over a period
of years, but can be prevented if detected early.
Cancer
Hispanics are less likely than non-Hispanic Whites to die from cancer,
but are more likely to have cancer detected at a later stage. Certain
cancers, however, such as cancers of the stomach, cervix and liver,
are more common in Hispanics according to the American Cancer Society.
“All of the approaches that are most important in the general
population—preventing and treating tobacco dependence, increasing
access to high-quality cancer screening and appropriate follow-up
care, increasing physical activity, maintaining a healthy body weight,
etc.—are important for Hispanics,” says Michael J. Thun,
M.D., vice president of epidemiological and surveillance research
for the American Cancer Society.
Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that gradually
destroys a person’s memory and ability to learn, reason, make
judgments, communicate and carry out daily activities. Its prevalence
among Hispanics is projected to increase more than six-fold by 2050,
from 200,000 patients to 1.3 million, according to a report by the
Alzheimer’s Association. Alzheimer’s disease has no
known single cause, but risk factors include age, family history
and genetics. There is no known cure.
Stroke
A stroke, which affects the arteries leading to and within the brain,
occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to
the brain either bursts or is blocked by a clot. As a result, part
of the brain starts to die because it cannot get the blood it needs.
The signs or symptoms of stroke are numbness or weakness on one
side of the body, sudden severe headache and difficulty speaking,
seeing or walking. Immediate treatment is critical.
A Passion for Hispanic Health
NCLR’s IHH is on a mission to make Hispanics healthier. IHH
works to reduce the incidence, burden and impact of health problems
in Hispanics. In close partnership with its Affiliates, government
partners, private funders and other Hispanic-serving organizations,
NCLR’s IHH delivers quality health interventions that focus
on improving access to and utilization of health promotion and disease
prevention programs.
The National Council of La Raza is the largest national
Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States,
working to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more
information or to become an NCLR member visit us at www.nclr.org.
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