Hypertension Among Hispanics : Hypertension

Latino Americans are the largest growing population in the United Stated and with the rising number of Latinos, we have also been seeing a disparity on health care especially in heart related conditions. Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States along with strokes and Latino Americans are at higher risks for coronary heart disease which accounts for 23.9 % of all deaths in the United States and heart disease is the nation's leading cause of death among Hispanic adults. In 2015, approximately 85.6 million or more which is greater than 1 in 3 adults in the United States are diagnosed with at least one type of coronary heart disease. Hispanic Americans are 8.3 % of the total number who have been diagnosed with some kind of coronary

The Health status of an individual could be defined as someone watching another and collecting data about a person and based on the information that were collected. Health status of an entire population would be to consider the health of a population, their life span, the extensiveness of preventable diseases or deaths and the availability of their health status (National Center for Health Statistics). The prevalent health situation of Hispanics are Diabetes, Heart diseases, stroke, liver diseases, cancer asthma, obesity and tobacco use. Heart disease is the main cause of death among all ethnic groups in the United States. Obesity and smoking being are of the risk factors for developing hypertension. Hispanic whites have higher rates of diabetes and obesity, whereas non-Hispanic whites have a

Public health workers from all spectrums can assist in proposed legislation and policies favoring the Latino community as well as increasing efforts for lifestyle changes leading to r4ducing risk factor such as obesity, hypertension and dietary choices. Public health programs will also look to create more strategies and interventions that promote, prolong and encourage a healthier lifestyle while living on a strained budget. In essence, acculturation and cultural lifestyle contributes to higher rates of diabetes among the Latino community.

Approximately 1 in 6 individuals are Hispanic in the United States, and the population is expected to grow to 1 in 4 by 2035 (CDC, 2015). Given that, Hispanics are the biggest minority group in the US (CDC, 2015). The leading cause of death among the Hispanic population is heart disease and cancer responsible for around 2 out of 5 deaths (CDC, 2015). Hispanics have a 50% greater chance of death resulting from diabetes or liver disease than whites (CDC, 2015). Additionally, there are 3 times as more uninsured Hispanics than whites (CDC, 2015). According to the US average, whites are 15 years older than the Latino population, so prevention will greatly benefit the health of the Latino population (CDC, 2015).

The United States have been growing the diverse population rapidly in different groups of people; however, increasing number of ethnic groups also struggle with new challenges such as health problems, economics, and educations. According the United States census report, there are approximately 54 million Hispanic lives in the United States, which makes about 17% population of total nation’s population. Hispanic is the largest growing ethnicity in the United States today; however, they are also exposed to the health disparities, economic and social status. This paper will discuss the Hispanic group culture, socioeconomic on their health, current health status, their health promotion, health disparities, and three levels of health prevention and effectiveness.

The Hispanic community in the largest minority in the USA and the fastest growing, it is also one with a high incidence of preventable diseases such as Diabetes, periodontitis, colorectal cancer and HIV. Obesity and teen age pregnancy are significantly more prevalent in Hispanic/Latino population as well. Rate of vaccination is also below that of the majority of the population. Addressing their health care makes good public health and economic sense.

In Fresno, California, from 2011-2012 “78.6% of Latinos, 35.4% Asian, and 64.9% White were considered overweight or obese.” (“Obesity Rates for Adults,” 2017) Health disparities take a huge role in the health care. Disparities occur across many dimensions, including race, socioeconomic status, location, sexual orientation, and age. Low income communities face obstacles that provide quality care. For instance, in Latino or Asian neighborhoods language barriers minimize the access of health care because many residents are unable to speak English, preventing them from seeking proper help. For example,

In an approach to health promotion and the prevention of diseases that affect the Hispanic community disproportionately we can look at prevention in 3 levels, primary, secondary and tertiary. Primary prevention would be preventing a disease or injury before it occurs. This could be done with the use of education and legislation on safety and health practices. Secondary prevention would be reducing the impact of the disease or injury that has occurred. This could be accomplished by early detection and health screenings. Lastly the tertiary prevention would be used to alleviate the impact of ongoing illness or an injury that has lasting effects. This would be accomplished by helping to manage chronic and complex diseases/conditions and permanent disabilities. This would help improve quality of life and life expectancy. One condition, while not a leading cause of death, but on the rise in the Hispanic community is the high incidence of HIV. The incidence rate is 3 time higher for Hispanics than white Americans. In 2013 the HIV rate in Hispanics counted as 23% of all new infections. Hispanic males were 85% of these new infections. ("CDC," 2015)

Diabetes in Hispanic Americans is a serious health challenge because of the increased prevalence of diabetes in this population, the greater number of risk factors for diabetes in Hispanics (Smith, 2010).” In the years of 2004-2006, about 11.9% of Hispanic American aged twenty (20) years or older are diagnosed with diabetes. About 75% of the Hispanic American trend to be overweight or obesity. When work with Hispanic American clients, you have to gain support from clients’ families to enhance their acceptability of the diet. Healthcare provider encourages pregnant Hispanic to eat low-fat cheeses, lean red meat, and fresh fruits and vegetables. “Gender differentiation and male dominance are issues to consider while working with Hispanic households. The father is the leader of the family while the mother runs the home, shops and prepares the food (Smith,

Hispanics are the largest and fastest growing ethnic minority group and there are estimated to be about 54 million living in the United States (Office of Minority Health & Health Equity, YEAR). The Hispanics are a minority group that struggle every day to survive, to provide for their families, to stay healthy and to live quality lives. This paper will discuss the Hispanics current health status, how health promotion is defined by the Hispanics and what health disparities exist for the Hispanics. Lastly, this paper will discuss the three levels of health prevention and their effectiveness given the unique

Hypertension is a major health condition which affects many Americans. This health condition may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. A normal blood pressure consists of systolic blood pressure divided by diastolic blood pressure, 120/80mmHg (millimeters of mercury). High blood pressure is defined as systolic pressure which is greater than 140mm Hg, and diastolic pressure which is over 90mm Hg. Hypertension influences the health outcomes of black Americans more than other races in the United States. Racial discrimination and socioeconomic status are two major factors which influence the rate of high blood pressure in the black American population.

There are many health disparities that exist among the Hispanic population. Many of these are chronic conditions that affect the population. Obesity is one of the many examples of conditions that have increased for the Hispanic population. The CDC (2014) states, “The prevalence of obesity among female Mexican American adults during 2007–2010 was larger than the prevalence among female white, non-Hispanic adults during the same years” (p. 1). This is one of the many statistics that show an example of a health disparity in the Hispanic population. Another example of a problem that is prevalent in the Hispanic community is the health promotion and screening rates. The CDC (2014) states, “A smaller percentage of Hispanic adults aged 50-75 years reported being up-to-date with colorectal cancer screening in 2010 than their non-Hispanic adult counterparts”

The challenges highlighted are pertinent to many populations. Many low- and middle-income countries, most of which are in the midst of the epidemiological transition, face rapidly increasing prevalence of hypertension in the context of limited healthcare resources. In these countries, diagnosis and appropriate management of hypertension remains disconcertingly low.7 Developing innovative and cost-effective solutions to improve hypertension diagnosis and control thus remains a key priority.8 These issues are not limited to developing countries alone; less than 50% of the US patients have appropriate BP control9 despite good access to care, a wealth of evidence surrounding lifestyle modification, and the presence of highly efficacious anti-hypertensive therapies. Indeed, such persistent deficiencies have fueled national initiatives such as the HealthyPeople 2020 and the Million Hearts initiative to focus on

One of the most important health problems in my community is Diabetes. The combination of an unhealthy diet, a sedentary lifestyle, the lack of health education and access to preventative care services all contribute to this growing problem. The prevalence of diabetes in Mexican Americans living in Hidalgo County for both men and women is 25.9 %, or 1 in 3.8 people, Hidalgo County’s rates are double the statewide average of 9.7% for Texas and 9.3 % for the US. The three top causes of death in adults in Hidalgo County are: cardiac, cancer and diabetes, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. “Because of the potential seriousness of diabetes and all its associated medical conditions, serious attention needs to be given to its prevention especially in light of the emerging epidemic of type 2 diabetes in youth (Bastida, Cuellar & Villas, 2001).”

Hypertension could most likely be the scariest word in the world to encounter if one faces it in their everyday life. Hypertension shouldn’t be a word one should tread lightly on when they hear it from a medical professional. They should take careful consideration because this word could be the factor of life or death. According to Webster’s Dictionary, Hypertension is when high blood pressure is occurring throughout one’s body. High blood pressure can cause numerous other conditions on top of hypertension that one may not be aware about. Sometimes Hypertension can be acquired from the habits one gained from years and years of being used to doing actions. It is a treacherous condition to have but a person can maintain their health to steer clear from high blood pressure and diseases that can succeed from it.