In 1989, Congress established the month between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month. To honor this special occasion, the CDC has highlighted five facts regarding the health of Hispanic and Latino people living in the U.S., summarized here.
1. Nearly 1 in 6 people currently living in the U.S. are Hispanic (totaling roughly 57 million). This rate is expected to increase to nearly 1 in 4 (more than 85 million) by 2035.
2. Similar to the non-Hispanic white population, the two leading causes of death for Hispanics in the U.S. are cancer and heart disease. However, cancer is the No. 1 cause of death for Hispanics, while it is the No. 2 cause of death for non-Hispanic whites. For every 10 Hispanic people in the U.S., four die of heart disease or cancer.
3. Compared with non-Hispanic whites, the death rate from all causes combined is 24 percent lower for Hispanics and death rates for nine of 15 leading causes are lower for Hispanics. The Hispanic population experiences higher death rates than non-Hispanic whites, however, for diabetes, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, essential hypertension and hypertensive renal disease and homicide. Both populations experience similar death rates for nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis.
4. Hispanics who were born in the U.S. have higher rates of obesity, hypertension, smoking, heart disease and cancer than Hispanics who were born abroad.
5. Among Hispanics, the self-reported rate of smoking varied by Hispanic origin and by sex. The highest smoking prevalences are found among Puerto Ricans and Cubans.
According to CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, Hispanic Americans can reduce their risk for chronic diseases and conditions by not smoking and staying physically active.
"Health professionals can help Hispanics protect their health by learning about their specific risk factors and addressing barriers to care," said Dr. Frieden.
The CDC has created a new Web page that accompanies the release of its Hispanic health Vital Signs report that aims to provide culturally appropriate health education materials for community health workers serving the Hispanic community. To access it, click here.
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