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Volume
2:
No. 1, January 2005
BOOK REVIEW
Latina Health in the
United States: A Public Health Reader
Editors: Marilyn Aguirre-Molina, EdD, Carlos W. Molina, EdD
Jossey-Bass, John Wiley & Sons, Inc
Publication Date: 2003 Sep
688 pages
Price: $45.00
ISBN: 0-7879-6579-0
Suggested citation for this article: Beckles GLA. Latina health in the
United States: a public health reader [book review]. Prev Chronic Dis [serial
online] 2005 Jan [date cited]. Available from: URL:
http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2005/
jan/04_0105.htm.
Latina Health in the United States: A Public Health Reader is a
collection of articles drawn from journals and books published in the last
decade about the health status and health needs of Latin American adolescent
and adult females in the United States. In the preface, the editors state that the
goals of the anthology are to identify a number of critical issues of
importance and relevance to Latina health; to present an overview of the
existing literature on Latina health; to highlight the leading indicators of
morbidity and mortality affecting various subgroups of Latinas; and to
identify gaps in research, policy issues, program planning, and practice. To
achieve these goals, the editors organized the book’s 29 chapters into nine
parts that explore the population’s demographics; risk factors,
socioeconomic disparities, and race/ethnic disparities among Latinas; sexual and
reproductive health issues; chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes; alcohol, tobacco, other drug use, and mental health; patterns
of risk behaviors among Latina adolescents; and the health needs of rural
and migrant workers.
In Part 1, the editors describe the process used to identify the
essential topics for inclusion in the book. Content experts were
interviewed, morbidity and mortality data were reviewed, and a comprehensive
review of papers published during 1984–2002 was undertaken to identify the
extent to which published research reflects the health needs of Latinas. The
editors conclude that research on Latinas has several limitations, including
lack of generalizability, small sample size, misclassification bias (when
Spanish surnames are used to identify sampling frames), and lack of
comparison groups. Furthermore, they report that few journals publish
studies related to Latina health issues. In Parts 2 through 6, contributors
document the principal health conditions that beset Latinas and the
persistent racial and ethnic differences in biological factors, behavioral risk
factors, and use of health services. Parts 3, 7, and 9 focus on the health
and health care experience of women at different life stages (adolescence,
the reproductive years, and midlife).
Latina Health in the United States is primarily intended for four
groups of people: students, practitioners, decision makers, and
researchers who seek to address the challenge of the growing health
disparities among communities of color. The book should be required reading
in all schools of public health; it synthesizes and presents in a single
source the major issues on the health of women of Latin American origin.
For public health practitioners and decision makers, it should be a
necessary general reference because it calls attention to issues that have
important implications for health policy and planning of programs and
services (e.g., the heterogeneity in geographic origins of Latinas, the lack
of data to provide timely assessment and monitoring of the health status of
Latinas). Additionally, the population dynamics (e.g., high fertility and
immigration rates, regional concentration) that lead to rapid population
growth raise the question about the ability of the health care system, at
least regionally, to meet the current and future health needs of Latina
women.
The gaps in knowledge of Latina health issues documented by the articles
in the book pose a challenge to researchers. In particular, the articles
demonstrate the necessity to understand the mechanisms and pathways by which
structural and contextual factors (e.g., poverty, low-wage employment,
social capital, cultural norms) may protect against or determine the health
deficits that often result from international migration and acculturation.
The findings from such research could be used to develop intervention
strategies to preserve protective behaviors and to contribute to risk reduction
in Latinas and other women.
Overall, the editors have realized several of their stated goals.
Latina Health in the United States is a much needed and timely
collection that chronicles a wealth of information — information that can sharpen the
focus and guide the direction of efforts to improve the health of Latinas.
Gloria L.A. Beckles, MD, MSc
Medical Epidemiologist
Division of Diabetes Translation
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Atlanta, GA
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