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Hispanic
or Latino Populations
Hispanics or Latinos are persons of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or
Central-American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
The federal government considers race and Hispanic origin to be two
separate and distinct concepts; Hispanic Americans may
be any race.1 According to the 2000
U.S. Census, Hispanics of all races represent 12.5
percent of the U.S. population, about 35 million individuals. The
Census Bureau projects that by the year 2035 there
will be 75 million Hispanic individuals,
comprising 20 percent of the population. Though Hispanic communities can be found throughout Florida, the Northeast, and other
parts of the country, the greatest concentrations of Hispanics
are in the southwestern states from Texas to California. The states with
the greatest concentration of Hispanics are New Mexico,
California, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, and Florida.2
Though they share many aspects of a common
heritage such as language and emphasis on extended family, Hispanic cultures vary significantly by country of origin. Hispanics tend to be younger than the
white non-Hispanic population (except for Cubans,
who have a higher proportion of elderly than other
Hispanic groups). Their health profiles are also
unique: Puerto Ricans suffer disproportionately from asthma, HIV/AIDS, and
infant mortality,3 while Mexican Americans suffer disproportionately from
diabetes.4 Factors
that contribute to poor health outcomes among Hispanics include
language and cultural barriers, lack of access to preventive care, and
lack of health insurance.5
Ten Leading Causes of death in
the U.S. in 2001
for Hispanics or Latinos:
In addition, Hispanics
or Latinos have disproportionately high
prevalence of the following conditions and risk factors:
For more information
about these topics see the following links:
Other Resources
for Hispanics or Latinos:
Funding:
Sources:
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1
Census
Bureau, Census 2000 Brief: Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin,
2000. |
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2
Census Bureau, Census 2000. |
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3
National Center for Health Statistics, 2002 National Hispanic Health
Leadership Summit, 2002. |
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4
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion,
Diabetes Public
Health Resource, 2002. |
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5
The Health Care Challenge:
Acknowledging Disparity, Confronting Discrimination, and Ensuring
Equality. United States
Commission on Civil Rights, Sept. 1999. |
Notes:
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