Hispanic or Latino Populations

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defines Hispanic or Latino as “a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.” In data collection and presentation, federal agencies are required to use a minimum of two ethnicities: “Hispanic or Latino” and "Not Hispanic or Latino".

Starting in 1997, the OMB requires federal agencies to use a minimum of five race categories:

White;
Black or African American;
American Indian or Alaska Native;
Asian; and
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.

In addition, on October 31, 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published final standards for data collection on race, ethnicity, sex, primary language and disability status, as required by Section 4302 of the Affordable Care Act.

Demographics

According to U.S. Census Bureau population estimates as of July 1, 2011, there are roughly 52.0 million Hispanics living in the United States, representing approximately 16.7% of the U.S. total population, making people of Hispanic origin the nation's largest ethnic or race minority.

The U.S. Hispanic population for July 1, 2050 is estimated to reach 132.8 million, constituting approximately 30% of the U.S. population by that date.

Among Hispanic subgroups, in 2010, Mexicans ranked as the largest at 63%. Following Mexicans were Puerto Ricans (9.2%), Cubans (3.5%), Salvadorans (3.3%), Dominicans (2.8%), and the remaining 18.2% were people of other Hispanic or Latino origins.

In 2010, 23.2% of elementary and high school students were Hispanic, but only 6.2% of college students were Hispanic.

As of July 1, 2011, the state with the largest Hispanic population was California (14.4 million), and the state with the highest percentage of Hispanic population was New Mexico (46.7%).

Hispanic/Latino boy The percentage of Hispanics who lacked health insurance in 2010 was 30.7%.

For more information, see:

US Census Bureau, 2012 Facts for Features:
Hispanic Heritage Month: Sept, 15-Oct, 15, 2012

US Census Bureau, 2010 Census Briefs:
The Hispanic Population 2010 issued May, 2011

US Census Bureau, Current Population Reports:
Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the US: 2010 issued September, 2011

US Census Bureau, 2010 Census Briefs:
Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin: 2010

US Office of Management and Budget (OMB):
OMB Bulletin Guidance on Aggregation and Allocation of Data on Race

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10 Leading Causes of Death

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Other Important Health Issues for Hispanics/Latinos

The following are examples of conditions and risk factors that may disproportionately affect some Hispanic/Latino subgroups:

Asthma
Info for Specific Groups
Fast Stats

Chagas Disease
Epidemiology & Risk Factors

HIV/AIDS
HIV Among Latinos
Fast Stats

Obesity
Adult Obesity
Fast Stats

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Examples of Important Health Disparities

The CDC Health Disparities & Inequalities Report - United States, 2011 (CHDIR), provides analysis and reporting of the recent trends and ongoing variations in health disparities and inequalities in selected social and health indicators, both of which are important steps in encouraging actions and facilitating accountability to reduce modifiable disparities by using interventions that are effective and scalable.

Examples of some of the important health disparities noted in the 2011 CHDIR:

The racial/ethnic disparity in both income and education, compared with non-Hispanic whites was greatest for Hispanics and non-Hispanic American Indians/Alaska Natives.
Next to Non-Hispanic blacks, Hispanics and American Indians/Alaska Natives had the highest percentages of householders living in inadequate, unhealthy housing.
Hispanics were more likely to reside in counties that did not meet the standard for ozone in comparison with non-Hispanic whites.
Hispanics had substantially higher uninsured rates, compared with Asian/Pacific Islanders and non-Hispanic whites.

Lower influenza vaccination coverage was observed for Hispanics, compared with non-Hispanic whites, among all persons aged > 6 months during the 2009-10 influenza season.
Among males aged ≤20 years, the prevalence of obesity was highest among Mexican-Americans, as compared to non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks.
During 2004-2007, the rate of preventable hospitalizations was higher among Hispanics, compared with non-Hispanic whites.
Hispanics continued to experience a disproportionate burden of HIV diagnoses.
In 2008, the birth rate for Hispanic adolescents was approximately 5 times the rate for Asian/Pacific Islander adolescents, 3 times the rate for non-Hispanic white adolescents, and somewhat higher than the rates for non-Hispanic black and American Indian/Alaska Native adolescents.

See the CHDIR Website for more information.

For more information, see:

Mortality Rates by Race/Ethnicity, Health, U.S., 2011, Table 24

Healthy People

NCHS HealthyPeople 2010 Snapshot for the Hispanic Population
NCHS HealthyPeople 2010 Final Review (2010)
CDC Wonder, Data 2010: the Healthy People 2010 Database
Healthy People 2020
Healthy People 2020 Brochure
NCHS HealthyPeople 2020 Summary

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OMHHE Slides

Presentation on CDC's Office of Minority Health & Health Equity (OMHHE)

PPT Version

CDC Health Disparities & Inequalities Report, 2011 (CHDIR)

CHDIR, 2011

CHDIR Slides

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Health Statistics

Additional Resources from CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)

NCHS Health of Hispanic or Latino Population
Fast Stats

Health Data Interactive

Health, United States, 2011

Hispanic or Latino Population

Leading Causes of Death by Race/Ethnicity Table 26

Other Resources

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.

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