NCLR Study Notes Barriers to Latino Health and Calls for Better Outreach and Prevention

WASHINGTON, D.C. and RIDGEFIELD, CONN. — In a report released today, NCLR (National Council of La Raza) examines the challenges faced by millions of Latinos who live with one or more chronic conditions that affect their daily lives. “An Inside Look at Chronic Disease and Health Care among Hispanics in the United States” documents a high rate of chronic disease and obesity among the Latinos surveyed, with nearly half of those with a chronic condition reporting their health as poor to fair. The study found that even though Latinos are accessing health care, they still confront many barriers—including affordability, immigration status and language—to maintaining their health and managing their chronic diseases. Of those surveyed, 25 percent had visited a hospital emergency room in the past 12 months, which is costly and cannot take the place of regular access to medical care for those with chronic conditions.

“Latinos are among the fastest-growing segment of the American population and will represent nearly one-third of all U.S. workers by 2050. The ability of our nation to meet the economic demands of the future is closely tied to the health of this community. Affordable health insurance and access to high-quality medical care and information is vital to improving their lives,” said Delia Pompa, Senior Vice President, Programs, NCLR.

The report was produced by NCLR with support from Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and in partnership with public health consulting firm John Snow, Inc. (JSI). Written surveys and focus groups were held with patients at Latino-serving community-based health centers across the U.S. that belong to the NCLR Affiliate Network. Key findings of this research include:

• A high rate of chronic disease and poor health. Sixty percent of survey respondents were told by a doctor that they have a chronic disease, and comorbidities were highly prevalent.
• Extreme rates of overweight/obesity, a key risk factor for chronic conditions. About 75 percent of survey respondents were either overweight or obese, but among them only about two-thirds (64.3 percent) had been told by a doctor that they were overweight. Three of the four major chronic diseases experienced by respondents—hypertension, diabetes, and arthritis-related conditions — are affected by weight.
• A disconnect with the health care system. Barriers posed by poverty, discrimination and low rates of health insurance were compounded by additional factors that Latinos face: immigration status, a lack of trust in the health system and language/cultural issues. About one-third of respondents reported difficulty in getting health information in Spanish, the preferred language among 74 percent of those surveyed. In nearly all of the focus groups, participants perceived that the fear of unintended immigration consequences is a deterrent for health care access in their communities.

In the report, NCLR calls for the design and implementation of a large-scale, sustained public health initiative that focuses on linguistically and culturally appropriate obesity and chronic disease prevention and management via communications and community-based health education tailored to Latino families. Additional recommendations include improved bilingual health materials, investments in community health organizations that serve Latinos, an increase in culturally competent training for health care providers and stronger peer support programs within the Hispanic community. NCLR is also interested in expanded efforts to enroll Latinos in affordable health insurance. An infographic on Latino health was released with the report.

“The research clearly underscores the need to expand programs such as NCLR’s promotores de salud, community health workers who are trusted sources of information and who provide culturally and linguistically appropriate education and support. Increased outreach through these types of programs is critical if we are to take on these real health challenges,” said Manuela McDonough, Associate Director, Institute for Hispanic Health, NCLR.

The researchers note that as the Latino population ages, the prevalence of the chronic conditions they suffer from and the resulting proportion of medical costs are expected to increase. In 2060, Hispanics are expected to make up 38 percent of the nation’s population age 65 and older and to require more health care services. “More attention needs to be devoted to the consequences of aging on the health of the Latino population. Efforts must be rapidly expanded to prevent and more effectively manage common chronic diseases among the Latino community—diabetes, heart disease and obesity,” said James Maxwell, PhD, Director of Research and Policy, JSI.

Health disparities make chronic disease management in the Latino community especially important. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 14 percent of Hispanics had two or more concurrent chronic diseases in 2010, a nearly 2 percent increase since 2000.

“We are proud to support this critical research to better understand the health needs of the Latino community,” said Keri Yale, Director, Patient Advocacy and Professional Relations, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. “By identifying the barriers to prevention and care, we can design programs to address these issues and help the Latino community work with their health care providers to lead healthier lives.”

Latino health will be a key agenda item at the 2014 NCLR Annual Conference on July 19–22 in Los Angeles. In addition to free screenings available to the public for vision, lung health, diabetes risk, blood pressure and more, almost a dozen workshops and a town hall will feature panel discussions on chronic disease, the promotores de salud community outreach model, campaigns to enroll Latinos in health insurance through the Affordable Care Act and other topics. To learn more, please review the events schedule or contact Kathy Mimberg at (202) 776-1714 or kmimberg@nclr.org. Reporters with press credentials can register to attend for free at http://nclr.emsreg.com/nclr14/public/mediaregistration.aspx.

NCLR - the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States - works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.