Health Promotion
The Health Promotion Program focuses on prevention services. The program provides basic preventative education and services to low income Latino community members. The program has an emphasis on reducing instances of diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol and HIV/STDS.
We accomplish our goal through:
• One on one education about prevention
• Health fairs and workshops
• Basic health services such as cholesterol, HIV, and blood tests
• Referrals to local healthcare providers and programs
Latino communities face inequalities in health coverage, access to health services, and overall health status. In 2007, 32.1 percent of the Hispanic population was not covered by health insurance, as compared to 10.4 percent of the non-Hispanic White population in the US. Uninsured adults are less likely to seek preventive care, screening services, and appropriate disease management. Also, they are more likely to have poorer health compared to insured individuals.
A new survey by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the University Of Minnesota School Of Public Health shows the percentage of Hispanic/Latino Minnesotans without health insurance at 28.6 percent. This is higher than the rate for the white population at 7.8 percent.
Heath disparities include:
• Hispanics/Latinos living in the US are almost twice as likely to die from diabetes as are non-Hispanic whites.
• Hispanics account for a disproportionate percentage of new cases of tuberculosis. • They also have higher rates of high blood pressure and obesity than do non-Hispanic whites.
• In 2006, Latinos accounted for 17% of new HIV infections in the 50 states and the District of Columbia during that same year. The rate of new HIV infections among Hispanics/Latinos in 2006 was 2.5 times that of whites.
• According to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Statewide, HIV infection rates for Latinos were five times greater than whites. In 2009, 996 Latinos were also infected with other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis.
