The underlying reasons for racial disparities include low education levels among
Hispanics, inability to access proper nutrition, low health insurance coverage among Hispanics
die to low income levels, and poor housing conditions (Kaihlanen, Hietapakka & Heponiemi,
2019, P 2). Hispanics are affected by poor daily life conditions and social factors like occupation,
social support systems, and cultural values in their access to better healthcare. The inequalities
disproportionately impacts on Hispanic group since less than 50 percent of all Hispanics have a
college degree and more than 40 percent of Hispanics have limited fluency in dominant English
language. In this case, poor education levels and limited proficiency in language presents a
barrier in access to health information and understanding of medical records (Sutherland, Weiler,
Bond, Simonson & Reis, 2019, p 1005).
The Hispanics have limited economic opportunities and lower income levels compared
with non-Hispanic Whites. For instance, only 23.8 percent of Hispanics compared with 44.8
percent of Whites worked in professional and managerial positions in 2018. The low income
levels hinder them from purchasing health insurance cover. Accordingly, only 38 percent of
Hispanics are able to access government health insurance. In this case, about 25 percent of all
Hispanics live below the poverty line while 50 percent have a lower income level than the
national average (Torquati, Pavey, Kolbe-Alexander & Leveritt, 2017, P 25)
Hispanics live poor neighborhoods and are exposed to crime and violence than other
racial groups in the country. Most Hispanics live in neighborhoods with poor drainage,
inadequate street lighting, inadequate physical fitness facilities, and few health facilities. In this
case, the high poverty level among Hispanics is depicted in the poor housing and street violence
which is common among Hispanic teenagers.
The unique cultural factors of Hispanic group present a risk factor for non-communicable
diseases thus making them more vulnerable to death. For instance, Hispanics are 50 percent more
likely to get obesity, teen pregnancy, and use tobacco products (Kaihlanen, Hietapakka &
Heponiemi, 2019, P 3). In this case, Hispanics suffer from cancer and high blood pressure due to
high consumption of tobacco among the racial group. The center for Disease Control and
Prevention highlights some health conditions that are common among Hispanic people as
obesity, HIV, liver disease, and suicide.
Hispanic health promotion activities
There are several health promotion activities that are often practiced on Hispanic group
that include healthy lifestyle and tobacco cessation programs. Healthy lifestyle health promotion
activities are common and relevant to the group due to the high risk of diabetes compared with
other ethnic subgroups. It is shocking that 12.4 percent of all adult Latinos are diabetic. In this
case, Hispanics are twice likely to suffer from diabetes and health promotion activities aim at
attaining a balanced weight loss, engaging in physical fitness, and smoking cessation (Torquati,
Pavey, Kolbe-Alexander & Leveritt, 2017, P 23). The healthy behaviors and lifestyle programs
require Hispanics to engage in physical fitness before the pre-diabetic stage and to undertake
screening for high blood pressure.