Preventive care is important for Latinos due to health disparities, cultural factors, limited access to healthcare, and potential savings. Prevention addresses disparities, reduces access barriers, promotes family health, and minimizes financial burdens. Prioritizing preventive care can significantly improve the health and well-being of the Latino community in the United States.
Preventive health care allows for early detection of diseases, which improves treatment outcomes and reduces complications. It is cost-effective, as it helps avoid expensive medical procedures and long-term treatments. It also improves quality of life by preventing chronic diseases and promoting overall well-being.
YOUR HEALTH
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PREVENTION SAVES LIVES
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Preventive care reduces the burden on healthcare systems and provides long-term health benefits, leading to a healthier and longer life.
Explore resources available below and step up your health.
Cardiovascular Diseases
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death in the United States. 2 CVDs are the second cause of death for Hispanics/Latinos behind cancer.
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According to the American Heart Association, among Hispanic adults 20 years of age and older from 2015 to 2018, 52.3% of males and 42.7% of females had a cardiovascular disease.
In 2018, cardiovascular diseases caused the deaths of 30,584 Hispanic males and 25,983 Hispanic females of all ages.
Diabetes
The CDC notes that US adults overall have a 40% chance of developing type 2 diabetes over their lifetime. Hispanics or Latinos, are 50% more likely to develop diabetes at a younger age.
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Latinos have a higher prevalence of diabetes, which is a significant risk factor for heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, nearly 50% of Latino adults have diabetes or pre-diabetes.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is generally associated with weight. During the last few decades, obesity has been increasing among Hispanics in the United States.
According to the CDC, approximately 44.8% of Latino adults live with obesity, the second highest when compared to other ethnic or racial minority groups. Among Hispanic American women, 78.8% are overweight or obesity. Obesity prevalence is higher in Hispanic women than men.
Obesity contributes to other risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
Cancer
Cancer is the leading cause of death among Hispanic people, accounting for 20% of deaths. Hispanic men and women have a higher risk for cancers associated with infectious agents, such as liver, stomach, and cervix. About 1 in 3 Hispanic men and women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime and 1 in 5 men and 1 in 7 women will die from the disease.
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An estimated 42% of all cancer cases (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) and 45% of cancer deaths in the United States could potentially be prevented by adopting healthier behaviors, such as quitting smoking maintaining a healthy weight, staying active, a healthy eating pattern, and avoiding or limiting alcohol consumption.
TIME TO QUIT SMOKING?
CALL 1-866-697-8487
TO TALK WITH A QUIT COACH
TEXT 716-309-4688
No matter how long you have smoked, quitting makes a difference. Learning about the benefits of quitting smoking and finding your reasons to quit can help motivate you to stop for good.
Chances are you tried to quit before.
Try not to let the past prevent you from your next quit attempt.
Instead, give yourself credit for your past quit attempts. For most people who smoke, it takes several tries. Think of these as practice quits and a way to learn what works and what doesn't work for you