About six-in-ten U.S. adult Latinos, or 62%, speak English or are bilingual, according to a new analysis of Pew Research Center data. Among U.S.-born Latinos, the vast majority of the second generation speaks English (42%) or is bilingual (50%). By the third generation the percentage of English increases (76%) and bilingual decreases (23%). Foreign-born Latinos are the least likely to speak English (5%), but many are bilingual (35%). What do these data say? It means that, although Latino adults said Latino immigrants need to speak English to succeed while still valuing the ability to speak Spanish, the future of language use in the U.S. is increasingly English and bilingual, according to a Pew report. "And as a sign of the times, Spanglish, an informal hybrid of both ...
In 2011, two years after Latino parents in Chicago began working to raise awareness of the need for recess in schools, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) finally announced they would be working to reincorporate recess back into the school day. According to a blog post from the Healthy Schools Campaign a group of parents from the Parents United For Healthy Schools organization gathered over 4,000 signatures as part of a petition in support of recess. This helped ultimately get the attention of the district's Office of Student Health and Wellness (OSHW), who's mission is to oversee the well being of students and the implementation of health promoting policies for the district. Research shows that schools with mostly Latino students are less likely to offer students at least 20 minutes ...
Did you know Latina moms are twice as likely as white moms to start prenatal care late or not all all? This increases the risk of having a baby with serious health problems. The good news is that using life planning tools, managing health conditions and avoiding certain exposures can improve differences in Latinas' prenatal and child health, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services’ Someday Starts Now campaign in English and Spanish. Here are six tips: 1. Health Before Pregnancy. A healthy life depends on a combination of eating right and exercising—in addition to managing chronic conditions like obesity, diabetes and stress, as well as quitting unhealthy behaviors like smoking. 2. Get Tested for STIs. Get checked regularly for Sexually Transmitted ...
In the 22% Latino Fairfax County Public School District in Fairfax, Va., a parent group called Real Food for Kids had rid school cafeterias of highly processed junk foods and improved the nutrition of school snacks and menus. But the change was not very visible to students. So the group, led by parent JoAnne Hammermaster, helped bring a fresh food stations showcase the healthier selections—and add new ones—for students at district schools. EMERGENCE Awareness: Childhood obesity is a priority for the parent group Real Food for Kids (RFFK), which pushes for healthy changes in the Fairfax County Public School District (FCPSD), a 22% Latino district in Fairfax, Va. In 2012, for example, RFFK drove FCPSD leaders to remove foods with artificial dyes, additives, and other highly ...
The number of Latinos with health care coverage has risen dramatically thanks to the Affordable Care Act, but certain groups have lower coverage rates or know little about the health insurance marketplace, according to a new poll. The poll, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center for Health Policy at the University of New Mexico and implemented by Latino Decisions, examined Latinos’ attitudes on immigration policy, the Affordable Care Act, discrimination, and personal connections to immigrants. Only 17% percent of Latinos now lack health insurance, down from 28% in 2013. But a significant gap in health coverage exists when it comes to nativity, with 87 percent of U.S.-born Latinos saying they are covered but only 78 percent of foreign-born Latinos have ...
Although Latinos tend to live longer than other ethnic groups, they also spend a high proportion of their later years with disability, according to a new study, Health Canal reports. In fact, Latinos ages 65 and older spend half their remaining years with serious physical impairments. The study, which followed a cohort of several thousand Mexican Americans for 18 years, evaluated physical performance—balance, standing, walking, grip strength, and the ability to get out of a chair. Respondents with less education and lower financial stability were more likely to experience functional decline than those with higher levels of education and financial stability, and older women who were born in Mexico suffered longer periods of disability, according to Health Canal. This means ...
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded funds to 17 different universities and colleges working to develop and evaluate programs to prevent childhood obesity. Of the programs that have been selected to receive funding, several will target Latino children, who continue to be a high risk demographic for becoming overweight or obese. Some of the universities which will specifically target Latinos with their programs include the following: California State University: Will work to better understand ways to promote healthier eating behaviors through mindful eating among children & families in the Hispanic community. University of California: Will work to advance the fight against pediatric obesity by focusing on the expansion of both the traditional expanded food ...
You've probably heard stories of how a Latino youth achieved success and overcame poverty, unsafe neighborhoods, discrimination, and other barriers. But how can more youth find such success? A new report by the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) examines the personal, environmental, and cultural factors that help resilient youth to learn from adversity and excel. The report mines several success stories and suggests these five steps: Tap into the natural resiliency of Latino youth. These qualities include optimism, perseverance, social skills, empathy, a strong willingness to give back to their communities and family and cultural traits such as responsibility and family solidarity. Help their families escape poverty through living wages and affordable housing. One-third of ...
More than 20,000 U.S. Latinos are on kidney transplant lists, struggling to survive as they wait for a potential life-saving organ donation. Just like 7-year-old Anthony Rivera. The family of Anthony, who live in Illinois, took him to the doctor after he was too fatigued to play outside and had swollen eyes. They found out he was experiencing renal failure due to kidney disease. He has to get peritoneal dialysis three times a week and his teacher now home-schools him—often in the hospital. “I wake him up at five in the morning and we are back home by 10 a.m.," said Josefina Rivera, his mother. "He lays down to rest and after sleeping a bit, he gets back up to greet his teacher.” As the Latino population continues to grow, so does the waiting list and the critical ...
