Health Promotion Among Diverse Populations

Introduction

The only minority group that is expanding the numbers at a skyrocketing speed in the United States are the Hispanics. This can be attributed to the fact that their native countries are close to the United States hence their movement is short and easy. As per the United States census conducted in 2002, the Hispanics make up of 16.9% of the total population (“Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations | SAMHSA – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration”, 2018). The number is expected to rise up to almost one hundred and thirty-three million Hispanics by 2050. This will lead to them having composed of 30% of the total population (“Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations | SAMHSA – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration”, 2018). The principal factors that catalyze the increase of Hispanic population in the United States include low infant mortality rates, high immigration rates, and increased attribution rates.

Out of the total number of Hispanics immigrants in the United States, those from Mexico form the highest percentage of 63%, those from Puerto Rico account for 11 percent, those from Cuba are 4 percent (“Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations | SAMHSA – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration”, 2018). The remaining include those who are undocumented.

What Is the Current Health Status of This Minority Group?

The health status of the Hispanics is directly concurrent with that of the African Americans, this is because the socio-economic factors of the two groups are similar. The health status of the Hispanics is dictated by the socioeconomic factors such as poverty rate, occupation, family income and educational background. The above factors play an immense role in the quality of health care that is received by the Hispanics. It is no secret that access to healthcare among the Hispanics is sufficient due to factors such as limited finances, personal barriers, and structural barriers. Structural barriers include lack of good transport network to access healthcare facilities, organizational bias in terms of the insurance, and port geographical access to healthcare providers. Personal barriers include language barrier (DuBard, and Gizlice, 2008). Lack of employment and low family income constitute of financial barriers. Despite the constraints, it is estimated that the health status of Hispanics is better than any of the diverse minority groups in the United States.

How Is Health Promotion Defined by This Group?

The Hispanic minority group in the United States can define health promotion as the distribution of health materials in a bid to increase awareness of health services. It is evident that the Hispanic population are affected by health issues due to lack of education and awareness that the problem exists. For instance, De Heer et al. (2015) describes an experiment which they carried out on Hispanic in a bid to help them reduce cardiovascular risk. The participants had no contact with others who had attended health education. The research was successful but was challenging due to language barriers, in this regard, health education on the Hispanic community is about bridging the language gap in a bid to service their health issue in a streamlined manner.

The Hispanic group has a traditional belief and way of how they treat various illness. This hinders them from getting quality health care services that can save their lives. When such   group hears about health promotion, they are certain about being advised to forfeit their traditional health beliefs.

What Health Disparities Exist for This Group?

A difference in health that is influenced by socio-economic conditions is referred to as health disparity. In America, the Hispanic community has the highest problem of diabetes than any other group. This can be attributed to the fact that Hispanic community does not take any interest in the diet or engaging in physical exercises. Many families of the Hispanics live in neighborhoods that are of poor living conditions. This makes it hard for the community to access health care easily like those who live in affluent neighborhoods. Work-related injuries contribute to poor health. The Hispanic community is fond of doing odd jobs to earn a living. Such jobs are dangerous and sometimes can result in one having serious health problems. The healthcare systems serve as the biggest health disparity for the Hispanic community. Due to their low income, they are unable to acquire insurance cover due to high premiums that they cannot afford (Maxwell, et al. 2011). `

Describe at least one approach using the three levels of health promotion prevention (primary, secondary, and tertiary) that is likely to be the most effective given the unique needs of the minority group you have selected. Provide an explanation of why it might be the most effective choice.

The famous phrase that suggests that prevention is better than cure can be applied to primary approach as a level of health promotion prevention in regards to the Hispanic group. The primary approach means preventing a problem before it occurs. This approach is used in healthcare as a way of making sure that a health issue is ousted before it occurs (Stoddard, and Adler, 2011). This is done by preventing exposure to hazard that can limit a healthy presence. This approach is best suited to the Hispanic community as a health prevention strategy due to their insufficient knowledge of health issues. For instance, there can be legislation that coerces the insurance companies to lower the premium rates for a certain particular group so that they can afford quality healthcare. Also, this can be done by educating the Hispanic community about healthy eating habits to prevent occurrence health issues such as diabetes.

In conclusion, Hispanics poor living condition that is associated with poor income is the major source of its health issues and ever-widening health disparity. Despite most of them trying hard to access quality health care, there should be a preventive measure to cushion them from health issues that can be prevented.