Hispanic-American Population Assessment

POCKETS OF MISERY

The Hispanic-Americans of Santa Ana, California are the population to be assessed.

National Demographics

The total U.S. population is 312 million, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau report. Almost 50 million of these are Hispanic-Americans. Nationwide, 10% of them are in fair or poor health (NCHS, 2011). The death rate for this population is 297.8 per 100,000 people. Their leading causes of death are heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries and infant deaths at 5.51 per 1,000 live births. And 33% of Hispanic-Americans 65 years and older has no health insurance coverage (NCHS).

The psychiatric or mental health needs of this growing ethnic majority have yet to be covered adequately (Lopez & Carrillo, 2001). Hispanic-Americans or Latinos greatly differ from the general U.S. population in physical and mental health indicators. Non-Hispanic medical and mental health professionals need to understand these differences better in order...
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