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A conference was held in October at the Milken Institute of Public Health on the campus of George Washington University in Washington, D.C., to address the high burden of health problems that affect Latinos in the area. Compared to white adults, Latinos suffer higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.
“Latino populations are marginalized for many reasons,” said Dr. Mark Edberg, director of the Avance Center, one of the conferences contributors. “They don’t always have good access to healthy food. A single parent may have to work two or three jobs and not have a lot of time to cook.”
At the conference, researchers, practitioners, and advocates shared new research and information as well as community perspectives that could be used to help break down Latino health equity. Speakers included U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM), as well as Jackie Reyes, director of the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs in the District of Columbia.
“People migrating up from Honduras, or Guatemala, or El Salvador right now are going through extremely difficult circumstances,” Dr. Edberg said. “Health disparities are in part a consequence of the limbo people live in, which contributes to these broader factors, like limited access and marginalization.”
The Avance Center was established in 2012 to better understand the health disparities that affect immigrant and refugee communities in Washington, D.C., and throughout the United States. The topics addressed ranged from health impact of immigration policies to reducing depression.
By The Numbers
25.1
percent
of Latinos remain without health insurance coverage
