Report: Hispanics Suffer More Diabetes, Work-Related Deaths, and Uncontrolled Blood Pressure

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Hispanics suffer a heavier burden of health conditions like diabetes, uncontrolled blood pressure, and work-related deaths, according to a new federal report.

The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Supplement, released on Nov. 21 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), highlights differences in mortality and disease risk for multiple conditions related to behaviors, access to health care, and social determinants of health—the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, age, and work.

The report highlights several Hispanic-oriented issues or conditions:

• Preventable hospitalization rates were highest for Hispanics and blacks.
• Diabetes rates were highest among Hispanics and blacks.
• Rates of uncontrolled blood pressure were highest among Mexican Americans.
• The prevalence of periodontitis, a gum infection, is highest among Mexican Americans than other racial/ethnic groups.
• Flu vaccine rates increased for Hispanics ages 65 and older.
• Minorities and Spanish speakers were more likely to live near major highways—suggesting an increased exposure to traffic-related air pollution.
• Work-related deaths are highest for Hispanics.
• The highest percentage of adults not completing high school were Hispanic.
• The highest percentage of adults living below the federal poverty level were black or Hispanic.
• Racial/ethnic minority areas more often lacked at least one healthier food retailer within a half-mile than white areas.

“It is clear that more needs to be done to address the gaps and to better assist Americans disproportionately impacted by the burden of poor health,” said Dr. Chesley Richards, director of CDC’s Office of Public Health Scientific Services, which produced the report. “We hope that this report will lead to interventions that will allow all Americans, particularly those most harmed by health inequalities, to live healthier and more productive lives.”

View the full report here.