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Heritage,
Diversity, Integrigy, and Honor:
The Renewed Hope of America
Herencia, Diversidad, Integridad y Honor:
La Renovada Esperanza de America
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SEPTEMBER 15 - OCTOBER 15,
2010
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HISPANIC / LATINO HERITAGE MONTH |
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In September 1968, Congress authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to
proclaim National Hispanic Heritage Week. The observance was
expanded in 1988 to a month long celebration (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15).
America celebrates the culture and traditions of U.S. residents who
trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations
of Central America, South America and the Caribbean.1
Sept. 15 was
chosen as the starting point for the celebration because it is the
anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa
Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition,
Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on Sept. 16 and
Sept. 18, respectively.1 |
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DEFINITION |
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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 with Census 2000, the OMB requires
federal agencies to use a minimum of five race categories: |
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White; |
| Black or African American; |
| American Indian or Alaska Native; |
| Asian; and |
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Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.
2 |
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DEMOGRAPHICS |
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According to U.S. Census Bureau
population estimates as of July 1, 2009, there are roughly 48.4 million Hispanics living
in the United States, representing approximately 15.75% of the
U.S. total population,
making people of Hispanic origin the nation's largest ethnic
or race minority.1
The
projected 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.1
Among Hispanic subgroups, Mexicans rank as
the largest at 66%. Following Mexicans are Puerto Ricans (9%), Cubans (3.4%),
Salvadorans (3.4%), Dominicans (2.8%), and the
remaining 15.4% are people of Central and South America or other
Hispanic or Latino origins.1
In 2009, almost 26%
of children younger than 5 were Hispanic, and 22%
of children under the age 18 were Hispanic.1
States with the largest
Hispanic populations are California (13.7 million), and Texas (9.1
million).1 |
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EXAMPLES OF IMPORTANT
HEALTH
DISPARITIES |
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Private health
insurance coverage among persons under age 65 was only 41.7% for
Hispanics/Latinos in 2007, compared to 76.2% for non-Hispanic whites
and 66.8% for the total population.
Among Hispanic/Latino subgroups, Mexicans were least likely to be
insured (37.9%), while Cubans were most likely to be insured
(64.8%).3 |
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Hispanic/Latina women were
more than 2.3 times as likely to have late or no prenatal care (12.2%) than
non-Hispanic white
women (5.3%) in 2006.4
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From 2000-2004,
Hispanic/Latina women had the highest incidence rate for cancers of
the cervix; 1.6 times higher than that for white women
(Hispanic/Latinas: 13.8 per 100,000 women; Whites: 8.5).
During the same period of time, Hispanics/Latinas also had a
cervical cancer death rate that was 1.4 times higher than for white
women (Hispanics/Latinas: 3.3 per 100,000 deaths; Whites: 2.3).5
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In 2006, the HIV/AIDS death rate was 2.5 times higher for
Hispanic/Latino males (7.0 per 100,000 population) than for
non-Hispanic white males (2.8), and more than 3 times higher for
Hispanic/Latina females (1.9) than for non-Hispanic white females
(0.6).6 |
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In 1999 the death rate for HIV was 32.7 per 100,000 for Puerto Ricans
living on the mainland of the United States, higher than any other
racial or ethnic group, more than six times the national average
(5.4 per 100,000) and more than 13 times the rate for non-Hispanic
whites (2.4).7 |
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In 2007, influenza vaccination coverage among adults
18 years of age
and older was 51.3% for non-Hispanic whites and 35.5% for Hispanics/Latinos. 8
In 2007, the
gap for pneumococcal vaccination coverage among adults was even
wider, with 62.2% for non-Hispanic whites and 31.8% for
Hispanics/Latinos.9 |
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In 2006, the diabetes death rate for Hispanics/Latinos (29.9 per
100,000 population) was almost 1.5 times higher than for non-Hispanic
whites (20.4).10 Among Hispanics/Latinos, the diabetes death rate in 2000 was highest
among Puerto Ricans (172), followed by the rates for Mexican
Americans (122), and Cuban Americans (47).7 |
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In 2005, Puerto Ricans (17.0) had a current asthma prevalence rate
over 2.2 times
higher than non-Hispanic white people (7.6) and over 1.8 times higher than
non-Hispanic black people (9.4). Puerto Ricans also had the highest rate of lifetime asthma
(22.0), while
Mexicans had the lowest (7.3). Puerto Ricans were twice as likely to have
ever been diagnosed with asthma than non-Hispanic white people
(11.3). 11 |
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In men ages 20-74 years, Mexican Americans had a higher prevalence
of overweight (77.3%) and obesity (30.4%) from 2003-2006 than
non-Hispanic white men (71.8% overweight; 33.0% obese) or
non-Hispanic black men (71.6% overweight; 36.3% obese).12 |
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More than 11 million people reside along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The U.S. border region contains six of eleven* of the poorest U.S.
Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA). Large population movement,
limited public health infrastructure and poor environmental
conditions contribute to increased risk for infectious diseases in
the border region.13 |
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In 2000, the rate of tuberculosis (TB) was 1.7 times higher along the
U.S. side of the border (10.0 per 100,000) than in the entire U.S.
(6.0).14 |
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In 2000, the rate of Hepatitis A was 2.2 times higher along the U.S.
side of the border (11.0 per 100,000) than in the entire U.S. (4.9).14 |
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In 2000, the rate of Hepatitis B was 2.2 times higher along the U.S.
side of the border (6.3 per 100,000) than in the entire U.S. (2.9).14 |
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FOR MORE INFORMATION |
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) |
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Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) |
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Health Disparities Experienced by Hispanics-United States |
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National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) |
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Health of
Hispanic/Latino Population, Fast Stats |
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Hispanic or Latino Population,
Health, United States, 2009 |
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National Center for HIV/AIDS,
Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP) |
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Health
Disparities |
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Hispanics/Latinos |
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HIV/AIDS among Hispanics/Latinos |
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Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities (OMHD) |
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Hispanic or Latino Populations
(en Español) |
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Hispanic Health Program Fact Sheets (en
Español) |
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Hispanic/Latino News |
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Página
Principal de la OMHD |
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Populations Definitions (en
Español) |
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Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) |
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National Women’s Health Information Center (NWHIC) |
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Minoirty Women's Health |
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Latinas |
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HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) |
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Hispanic/Latino Profile |
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National Latino AIDS Awareness Day: October 15 |
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Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) |
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HIV/AIDS Bureau |
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National Library of Medicine (NLM) |
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Medline Plus |
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Hispanic-American Health |
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United States-Mexico Border Health Commission |
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Healthy Border 2010: An Agenda for Improving Health on the United
States-Mexico Border |
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White
House Presidential Proclamations
2009 |
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US Census
Bureau |
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Facts for Features, Hispanic Heritage Month, 2010 |
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SOURCES |
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1. |
U.S. Census Bureau, Facts for Features: Hispanic
Heritage Month, Sept 15-Oct 15, 2010 |
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2. |
U.S. Census Bureau, Overview of Race and Hispanic
Origin, 2000 |
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3. |
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Health, United States,
2009, table 137 |
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4. |
CDC, NCHS, Health United States, 2009, table 7 |
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5. |
National Institutes of Health (NIH),
National Cancer Institute (NCI), Cancer Health Disparities, Table 3
Cervical Cancer Incidence & Death Rates, 2000-2004. |
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6. |
CDC, NCHS, Health United States, 2009, table
38 |
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7. |
CDC, Office of Communication (OC),
Racial/Ethnic Health Disparities Fact Sheet 2004,
Hispanic Health Disparities |
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8. |
CDC, NCHS, Health United States, 2009, table
84 |
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9. |
CDC, NCHS, Health United States, 2009, table
85 |
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10. |
CDC, NCHS, Health United States, 2009, table 26 |
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11. |
CDC, NCHS,
Health E-Stat, Asthma Prevalence, Health Care Use and
Mortality, US, 2003-2005, Figures 1 & 3 |
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12. |
CDC, NCHS, Health United States, 2009, table 72 |
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13. |
CDC, OMHD, Hispanic Health program: Border Infectious Disease
Surveillance (BIDS) |
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14. |
Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities
(OMHD), Grantees Meeting, 2006 |
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* |
The 11 poorest counties are (in
order from poorest to least poor):
1. St. Bernard county, LA
2. Cameron county, LA
3. Loup county, NE
4. Plaquemines county, LA
5. Starr county, TX
6. Orleans county, LA
7. Presidio county, TX
8. Zapata county, TX
9. Zavala county, TX
10. Maverick county, TX
11. Hudspeth county, TX
Bold indicates Mexico border
region.
Source:
U.S. Census Bureau,
County and City Data Book: 2007.
Table B-9 |
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