A recent poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that older Latinos are more likely than whites or African Americans to borrow money from a retirement account. Whether do to a pressing financial concern or a medical emergency, 34% of all Latinos surveyed (compared to 24% of whites and 25% of African Americans) have at least partially “tapped into” a retirement account. Nearly 1/3 of all the respondents reported withdrawing money to pay monthly bills such as rent and utilities. Many Latinos, especially those born outside of the United States, have little to no savings. In these cases, an emergency of any kind can be devastating financially. “Latinos are using retirement accounts for emergencies,” said Ernest Gonzales, sociology ...
"When it comes to predicting how long you will live, your ZIP Code is more important than your genetic code," George Takei narrates in A Tale of Two Zip Codes, an animated short film by the California Endowment's 10-year Building Healthy Communities initiative. Where you live determines your opportunities, thus your health and life expectancy. Consider not having healthy food options, clean air, safe sidewalks, nearby parks, quality schools, public transportation and preventive health care. The root causes of inequity in access to opportunities are due to racial and economic discrimination. Struggling so much to find healthy options can be an overwhelming source of chronic stress, which is a serious health risk in itself. If we are all going to be healthier, we need to look at ...
How can you use data to improve health in your area? The 500 Cities dataset tries to provide an answer. The data set, which contains estimates of adult chronic disease, unhealthy behaviors, and preventive care for census tracts in 500 of the largest American cities, launched in 2016 thanks to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the CDC Foundation. The Urban Institute released a research report in May 2017 on how to use the data to reach change-making partners. Access the data set here and register for a webinar on Tuesday, June 13, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. (EST) with Urban Institute to learn how to host a local event centered on the new 500 Cities neighborhood-level health data. Census tract-level data allows cities ...
Lack of affordable housing has strong implications for many Latinos and greatly impacts their quality of life. Many Latinos live in racially segregated, low-income, high-poverty areas with limited access to fresh, healthy foods, quality healthcare, and physical activity spaces. Also, many areas restrict Latinos access to opportunities impacting their choice of school or their children and limits their chance to obtain higher paying jobs. For those living in rural areas, the access to affordable housing is often even more limited. According to the non-profit group, Smart Growth America, the cost of living in rural areas is generally lower than in metro areas, yet many residents of rural cities and towns nevertheless struggle to afford the homes and apartments available in those ...
Where you live determines so much about your overall quality of life. For many Latinos, housing segregation limits their access to quality education, healthcare, and opportunities and often limits them in what they can do for employment. In the city of San Francisco, Calif. (15.3% Latino population), city planners have been seeking input from residents on a new 130-unit housing project in the historic Mission area. According to CBS News, San Francisco is the fourth most expensive city to live in in the United States. In order to reduce health disparities, it is critical to address inequities in programs, practices, and policies. Join our site, connect with others, and get involved. The rising costs for housing (the median home price there is $820,000) have simply ...
Paid maternity leave is linked to numerous positive health outcomes for parents and baby, breastfeeding is one. Sadly, in the U.S., only 12% of private sector workers have access to paid family leave through their employers.
The Thing About Paid Family Leave Policies
The thing about paid family leave policies in the U.S., is that the U.S. does not mandate paid family leave. California, New Jersey, Rhode Island and soon New York are the only states to have state-mandated paid leave plans in place. Among 41 industrialized nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and European Union, the U.S. is the only country not to require paid maternity leave. The U.S. provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave through the federal Family Medical Leave Act ...
For many Latinos a lack of access to opportunities keep them from achieving health equity and obtaining financial security. However, a recent study from the financial website WalletHub paints a very positive picture of where things could be heading. Latinos are already the largest ethnic and racial minority in the country and their numbers are growing at consistent and exponential rates. They are already sizable contributors to the nation's economy and with their increasing numbers, they were already expected to add more to in the coming years. However, WalletHub anticipates these numbers to be “nothing short of monumental.” In order to reduce health disparities, it is critical to address inequities in programs, practices, and policies. Join our site, connect with others, ...
Many factors influence early childhood development, school readiness, and health. For example, Latino parents are less likely to engage their children in preliteracy activities or read books to them leading to cognitive and oral communication gaps in Latino children. Culturally relevant parent counseling, education and support can play a huge role in childhood literacy and health, because kids who do better in school become healthier adults. Three groups in Walla Walla, Washington (21.6% Latino) worked together to create a 10-week series of FREE parenting master classes, Abriendo Puertas-Spanish for Opening Doors-that use a Latino cultural perspective and are taught in Spanish. The three groups are, Walla Walla Valley Early Learning Coalition, the Walla Walla Community College ...
Economic stability is often one of the most important determining factors of a person’s – and a family’s – overall health. The stress associated with money often leads to severe negative health conditions and can severely impact children’s abilities to succeed in school. Recognizing that many Latinos live in low-income, high-poverty, and high-crime areas, the Hispanic Wealth Project (HWP) has made it its mission to triple Hispanic household wealth by the year 2024. To accomplish this goal, they have defined three components to help them achieve this: advancing sustainable homeownership
improving the success of Latino entrepreneurs
increasing Latino investments beyond cash assets “The Hispanic Wealth Project is built on the premise that all Americans ...
