By: Joseph Rios
Throughout the past couple of years, the COVID-19 pandemic once again showcased health disparities and inequities that face Latinos.
Healthy People 2020, which was launched by the Department of Health and Human Services with the goal of achieving health equity, defines health and health care disparities as differences in health and health care between groups that stem from broader inequalities.
According to a 2021 study by the University of Southern California on a large and diverse group of Medicaid enrollees, Latino patients had higher odds of a positive COVID-19 test, and higher odds of hospitalization and death from the virus than white patients.
Since the pandemic began, COVID-19 has become one of the three leading causes of death in Latinos. According to the Centers for disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Latinos represented 24.9 percent of cases and 17.2 percent of deaths.
Outside of COVID-19, other health concerns impact Latinos at a higher rate than other groups.
For example, Latinos are nearly 50 percent more likely to die from diabetes or liver disease than whites. Health factors like hypertension and obesity are also two factors that commonly plague Latinos. Heart disease and cancer are leading cause of death of among Latinos and represent 2 out of 5 deaths. That rate is nearly identical to studies of whites.
Cancers like prostate and breast cancer are the most common forms of the disease among Latinos. The American Cancer Study estimates that in 2021, around 23,800 Latino men and 22,700 Latina women died of cancer.
Outside of physical health, mental health is also a concern for Latinos. The CDC found that adult Latinos are the group most affected by pandemic-related stress. The agency also found that around 40 percent of Latinos struggle with depression, compared to 25 percent among non-Hispanic white citizens. Suicide thoughts are prevalent among 23 percent of Latinos, compared to 5 percent among African Americans and 5 percent among whites. Common mental health conditions that impact Latinos include schizophrenia, generalized anxiety disorder, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and bipolar disorder.
To stay healthy, it’s important to talk to your doctor or other healthcare professional about which cancer screen- ings to get and how often you should get them, the CDC says. The agency also recommends making an effort to follow proven health tips like quitting smoking, staying on medication to control blood pressure and cholesterol and maintaining a healthy weight by taking at least one 10-min- ute walk, three times a day, five days a week. Latinos are also encouraged to learn about diabetes and how to prevent type 2 diabetes and to eat a healthy diet that is low in salt, low in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol, and rich in fruits and vegetables.
