Hispanic Health Program

         ATSDR HISPANIC HEALTH PROGRAM

---

WHAT IS THE PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM?

	Among Hispanic/Latino families, challenges remain in understanding acute and chronic health concerns associated with disparities involving their occupations, environment, economics, education, culture, language, and migration patterns/immigration status.
	Hispanic/Latino children are more likely than non-Hispanic white children to live in poverty and experience a disproportionate burden of infant mortality, low-birth weight, asthma, endocrine, neurological, and behavioral disorders which may be associated with exposure to hazardous substances.
	Hispanics/Latinos face high rates of exposure to toxic substances, including the top four threats to human health: ambient air pollution, worker exposure to chemicals, indoor air pollution and drinking water.

WHAT HAS ATSDR ACCOMPLISHED?

ATSDR has developed the ATSDR Hispanic Health Program to address health concerns that may be associated with the environmental impact of hazardous substances on Hispanic/Latino populations and to eliminate disparities. The Program evolved from a series of federal efforts to address the overall health concerns and health disparities prevalent among Hispanics/Latinos and to improve their health.
 

Examples of programs in action:
	ATSDR en Español was created to serve Spanish-reading communities. The site features a Spanish version of the Web site of ATSDR’s Ombudsman. This is the first Federal Ombudsman’s office to be broadcast in Spanish.
	A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio on behalf of The Lower Rio Grande Valley Regional Academic Health Center and ATSDR provides a framework for educational initiatives that help translate scientific knowledge into effective action in the field of environmental health and medicine. (Activities listed are in response to Presidential Executive Orders # 13166, 12898, and 13230).

WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS?

Continue to implement the ATSDR Hispanic Health Program thus responding to health disparities with emphasis on environmental and occupational health concerns related to diseases, dysfunction, disability, and premature death among Hispanics/Latinos.
 

For more information, contact the Office of Urban Affairs, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Mailstop E28, Executive Park, Building 37, Atlanta, GA 30333: (404) 498-0111: ncg3@cdc.gov: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/mhp1.html.

Back to the Hispanic/Latino Populations Page

 

OMH Home | About Us | Sitemap | Contact Us
Accessibility | Privacy Policy | CDC Home | Search | Health Topics A-Z

Last Updated on November 03, 2004
Office of Minority Health

Please Note: Links to non-Federal organizations found at this site are provided solely as a service to our users. These links do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at these links.