Unequal Access, Unequal Outcomes:

The Health Status of Georgia’s Latinos

Georgia Latino/Hispanic Health Agenda and Leadership Project

Natalie D. Hernandez, M.P.H.Project Coordinator

National Council of La RazaAtlanta Health Program Office

Presentation Objectives Provide an overview of Georgia

Hispanic/Latino Health Agenda and Leadership Project

Provide a snapshot of Georgia’s Latino Community

Identify Barriers facing Hispanics when Accessing Care and Providers when Providing Care

Recommendations

Georgia Hispanic/Latino Health Agenda and Leadership

Project Two Goals

Document the health-related needs of the Hispanic community and identify methods to address those needs.

Do this by – Collecting Georgia-specific health data from state and national

databases.

Conducting focus groups throughout the state with community members.

Conducting interviews with Georgia’s health leaders. i.e. community health leaders, health care providers, etc.

*The terms “Latino” and “Hispanic” are used interchangeably by the U.S. Census Bureau and throughout this slideshow to identify persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central and South American, Dominican, and Spanish Descent; they may be of any race.

Georgia Hispanic/Latino Health Agenda and Leadership

Project

Work with established organizations to increase their capacity to advocate for changes to healthcare policy and programs at all levels.

Do this by – Providing capacity-building assistance to healthcare organizations.

Organizations will receive technical assistance from NCLR or its partners to increase their effectiveness in continuing to highlight the needs of the Latino community.

Georgia Hispanic/Latino Health Agenda and Leadership

Project

Project will create two products:

• Statistical Brief – Latinos in Georgia: A Closer Look (released October 2005)

• Health Agenda (release date to be determined

Latino Health Status in Georgia

Population Highlights 576,113 3rd fastest-growing Latino population of any

state. ½ of Hispanics in Georgia are U.S. Citizens,

either by birth or naturalization. Median age~25.6 52.9% characterize themselves as not

speaking English very well or at all.

Latino Health Status in Georgia

Leading Causes of Death for the Georgia Latino Population, All Age Groups, in 2002

Type1. Unintentional Injury2. Malignant Neoplasms3. Heart Disease4. Homicide5. Perinatal Period6. Congenital Anomalies7. Cerebrovascular Disease8. Diabetes Mellitus9. Suicide10. HIV

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) 2002, National Vital Statistics System.

Latino Health Status in Georgia

Risk Factors

Latinos in Georgia are at increased risk for chronic diseases.

69% Latinos reported they were at risk for health problems due to being overweight.

61% Latina girls ages 15-19 become pregnant at least once before 20th birthday.

Sources: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BFRSS) 2004; Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BFRSS) 2003; Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BFRSS) 2002; Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation: Georgia: Health Status; Youth Risk

Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) 2002.

White Black Hispanic/Latino

Fair/Poor self-perceived health status (ages 18 and older)

14.9% 17.1% 11.1%

Participation in physical activity (ages 18 and older)

76.1% 70.1% 81.3%

Moderate physical activity in adolescents (students in grades 9-12)

28% 22% 25%

Vigorous physical activity in adolescents (students in grades 9-12)

64% 52% 60%

Television viewing (students in grades 9-12) 72% 38% 54%

Consume less than five servings of fruits and vegetables per day (ages 18 and older)

76.6% 79.6% 78.1%

High blood pressure (ages 18 and older) 27.4% 31.3% 15.7%

Adults limited in any activities because of physical, mental, or emotional problems

20.8% 12.5% 13.1%

At risk for health problems related to being overweight (based on BMI)

55.7% 66.7% 69.0%

Smoke cigarettes every day (ages 18 and older) 16.2% 11.7% 7.8%

Cigarette smoking rate 24.5 18.8 17.1

Sources: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BFRSS) 2004; Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BFRSS) 2003; Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BFRSS) 2002; Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation: Georgia: Health Status; Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) 2002.

Risk Factors that Contribute to Chronic Diseases

Latino Health Status in Georgia

Access to Care In 2002-2003, 43% of non-elderly Latinos did

not have health insurance. Preventive Care

Underutilization of preventive services, including cancer screening.

Infants and Children 65% of Latinas sought early and adequate

prenatal care. Mental Health

Latinos more likely to report poor mental health (44%) compared to whites (32%) and Blacks (36%).

Barriers Access

Language Lack of insurance Literacy levels

Cultural Factors Lack of knowledge about U.S. health care system Fear of deportation or jeopardizing future legal status Familial orientation

Barriers

Structural Factors Long waits Inconvenient hours Lack of transportation High cost of services Lack of Spanish-speaking providers Legal permanent resident who enter after 8/96

barred from accessing Medicaid

Recommendations Hire and train bilingual and bicultural

personnel

Create outreach programs that utilize Hispanic health educators or Community lay workers

Develop culturally, linguistically and literacy appropriate materials. Do not simply translate available materials.

Recommendations

Integrate family and social supports into health education and disease prevention activities.

Pay attention to the high value Latinos place on interpersonal relationships

Contact Information

Natalie D. Hernandez

National Council of La RazaProject Coordinator

235 Peachtree Street, NESuite 2000

Atlanta, GA 30303NHernandez@NCLR.Org