Analyzing the Current Health Status of Hispanic/Latino Population in the United States (U.S.)

Running head: ANALYZING THE CURRENT HEALTH STATUS 1
Analyzing the Current Health Status of Hispanic/Latino Population in the United States
(U.S.)
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ANALYZING THE CURRENT HEALTH STATUS 2
Analyzing the Current Health Status of Hispanic/Latino Population in the United States
(U.S.)
The Hispanic/Latino ethnic community consists of any individual of Cuban, Mexican,
Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture. As per the 2015 United
States (U.S.) Census Bureau, there are approximately 56.5 million Hispanics living in the
U.S. This is the largest minority community in the U.S. and represents 17.6 percent of the
aggregate U.S. population (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS], 2018).
Numerous health disparities impact Hispanics in the U.S. (Sanchez & De La Rosa, 2018) and
the purpose of this paper is to review the current health status of the Hispanic population in
the U.S. The current health profile for the Hispanic population is prepared by reviewing the
current health status, the health disparities, barriers to health, current health promotion
activities and recommendations for most effective health promotion prevention plan, in
addition to a culturally-specific care plan.
An Overview of the Current Health Status of the Hispanics in the U.S.
The current health status of the Hispanics can be understood by assessing the extent of
individuals belonging to fair or poor health group. In comparison with non-Hispanic whites,
about 10.1 percent of all Hispanics across all ages are in fair or poor health (Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2017). Several race and ethnicity related factors
influence the health of this group. Family is critical to the Hispanics that the requirements of
family completely supplants the necessities of an individual. Hispanics depend vigorously on
prayer, especially amid ailment or when somebody is facing death (Falkner, Green &
Whitney, 2018). Hispanics consider sickness as imbalance that requires a restricting power to
reestablish wellbeing, and they additionally have strong belief in superstition and consider
ailment to otherworldly causes. They additionally depend on healers and home cures
including ceremonies, herbs, talismans, and prayer (Falkner et al., 2018). In this manner, the

ANALYZING THE CURRENT HEALTH STATUS 3
status of the group and the role of race/ethnicity related factors in influencing the health were
assessed.
An Insight to the Health Disparities and Nutritional Challenges for Hispanics in the
U.S.
With respect to health disparities, disparities in relation to disease prevalence can be
assessed. Hispanics have higher levels of obesity than non-Hispanic whites (HHS, 2018).
Disparities exists in coronary illness, cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and stroke in correlation
with the non-Hispanic whites (Falkner et al., 2018). With respect to nutritional challenges,
among the Hispanics, Cubans and Puerto Ricans have moderately higher levels of food intake
related with CVD risk, for example, total fat, saturated fat, sodium, refined sugars, and red
meats (Siega-Riz et al., 2014). Cubans and Puerto Ricans additionally have lower levels of
food intake associated with lower risks of CVD, for example, fiber, folate, fish and fruits
(Siega-Riz et al., 2014). The nutritional challenges for the Hispanic group vary across
different groups and Cubans and Puerto Ricans are at-risk for hypertension, obesity and
diabetes.
Barriers to Health for the Hispanic Population
The Hispanic population faces language/cultural and socio-economic and education
barriers for achieving optimal health. Approximately one out of three Hispanics have
constrained English capability; around one out of four Hispanics live below the poverty line,
contrasted with non-Hispanic whites; and around one in every three has not finished
secondary school (CDC, 2015). Undocumented immigrants have employment in substandard,
high-risk employments and high occupational hazards with constrained or no medical
coverage (Velasco-Mondragon, Jimenez, Palladino-Davis, Davis & Escamilla-Cejudo, 2016).
Lack of connectedness with the providers due to language and cultural barriers, prevent the
Hispanics from trusting their providers (Sobel & Metzler Sawin, 2014) and accessing