Recent reports by the National Institutes of Medicine indicate the scope and severity of health disparities in minority communities. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Latinos have one of the worst health status in this country, when adjusted for age. Latinos have higher rates of cancers of the stomach, liver, cervix and biliary tract. Two million Hispanic-American adults have diabetes, yet it is estimated that one in three is not aware of the condition. New cases of AIDS are reported three times as frequently in Hispanics as in non-minority Americans; and three in four Mexican children younger than 17 years of age have gingivitis. According to experts, the health status of Hispanics in this country often deteriorates due to factors such as changes in diet and physical activity.- more -

Panelists will discuss the high percentage of Hispanics without health insurance and the resulting difficulty accessing treatment. According to a recent study from The Commonwealth Fund, at least 40 percent of Hispanics have no form of health insurance. Two-thirds of uninsured Spanish-speaking Hispanics do not have a regular doctor and nearly 1in 3 report that they are not in good health, more than twice the expected rate. It is also noted that Hispanics are at a higher risk than average for injury or death due to occupational hazards, street violence, or car crashes. The leading cause of death for Hispanics ages 1-34 is traffic accidents.

The interaction and collaboration between health professionals and community leaders will generate new ideas to address the community ™s health problems. Physicians and other healthcare practitioners will garner knowledge to improve their delivery of healthcare, becoming simultaneously aware of the socioeconomic and cultural barriers in Latino communities.