Latino Health Issues

Merrill Singer

As a diverse group, comprising people who differ in national origin, generation, level of acculturation, socioeconomic class, region of residence, and gender, it is not surprising that there is considerable variation in the overall health of the Latino population of the United States. ( Latino is an umbrella term that covers people of diverse points of origin in Latin American countries.) This diversity among Latinos notwithstanding, reviews of the health status of Latinos relative to the dominant non-Latino white population affirm the importance of health disparities as a prevailing feature of the national health pattern. The average life span of Latinos in the country is 20 years shorter than for non-Latino whites. In terms of specific health differences, Latinos are disproportionately likely to die of violence (homicide being the second leading cause of death for Latinos 15 to 24 years of age), develop late-onset diabetes (11% compared with 5% Latinos ...

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