An Inside Look at Chronic Disease and Health Care among Hispanics in the United States
The health of the United States is closely tied to that of Hispanic Americans. Approximately 50.6 million people now identify themselves as Hispanic American, and by 2060 that number is expected to double to almost one-third of the U.S. population. As the Latino community grows, so will the prevalence of chronic conditions that Hispanics face, such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, obesity, and related complications. Addressing chronic diseases among Hispanics is imperative to improving the nation’s health and maximizing its resources. NCLR, in partnership with public health consulting firm John Snow, Inc. (JSI) and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., designed and implemented a study called the Hispanic Health and Chronic Disease Survey, which gathered information about the rates of chronic disease among Latino health center users, their barriers to and motivators of chronic disease prevention and management, and the roles of health care providers and community resources in helping Latinos manage their conditions.
