UP News & Highlights

United States Hispanic Population Facts:

• Over 54 million Hispanic residents in 2013 (CDC, 2014)
• Heart disease and cancer are the two leading causes of death in the Hispanic populations (CDC, 2013)
• Hispanic people have 24% poorer control of high blood pressure and 23% more obesity than white people (CDC, 2015)
• As many as 1 in 4 of the U.S. uninsured population is Latino (DHHS, 2014)
• As of June 2014, 2.6 million Latinos (ages 18-64) gained health insurance coverage since the start of the Affordable Care Act initial open enrollment period in October 2013, a 7.7 percentage point drop in the uninsured rate over that period (DHHS, 2014)

CDC Telebriefing: New Vital Signs Report - Health risks different among the Hispanic populations in the U.S. (05/05/15)

This telebriefing last month by CDC Director, Dr. Tom Frieden, and a lead researcher discuss findings related to Hispanic populations. The report's findings are included in the May's CDC Vital Sign which focuses on Hispanic Health.  English and Spanish versions are available. 

 
The study looks at various factors affecting the Hispanic population's health. Even though this population in general have a lower socioeconomic status, and less access to healthcare there is still approximately a 24% lower overall death rate compared to non-Hispanic white people. One probable factor is that Hispanic people have lower smoking rates which prevent the negative harms on the cardiovascular, and pulmonary systems, as well as reducing the risk of cancers from tobacco ingredients. 

Hispanic people may have lower death rates but they are twice as likely to die from diabetes or liver disease compared to white populations in the U.S.  Cultural factors such as obesity rates and sedentary lifestyle increase their risk factors, especially for Hispanic people born in the U.S. 

Education and coaching on lifestyle modifications can make big differences with this population since most of the risks are not genetic but rather behavior factors.