NCJ Number
139933
Date Published
1992
Length
59 pages
Annotation
This book contains a series of Hispanic demographic and health status charts and presents the information in the categories of maternal and child health status, adolescent health status, and adult health status.
Abstract
Hispanics in the United States lack access to health care and are at a disproportionate risk for a number of diseases and disease risk factors. Hispanic preschool children are seven times more likely than non-Hispanic white preschool children to contract measles. Among Mexican American and Puerto Rican adults, the prevalence of diabetes is twice the rate among non-Hispanic whites. Hispanics are the minority group most likely to have late or no prenatal care. One-third of Hispanic adolescent women who made an initial family planning visit did so for a pregnancy test in contrast to one-tenth of non-Hispanic adolescent women. The incidence of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) among Hispanic adults is 3.3 times that of the incidence among non- Hispanic white adults. The facts presented in this chartbook emphasize the need to modify programs and policies to ensure that they address the health needs of Hispanic communities.