The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

4150.0: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 - Board 1

Abstract #53990

Assessing the Health Status of Latinos in New Orleans, Louisiana

H. Giovanni Antunez, MD, MPH, William C Steinmann, MD, MSc, and Juan Escarfuller, MD. Center for Clinical Effectiveness and Prevention (TCCEP), Tulane Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana., 1430 Tulane Avenue, TW38, New Orleans, LA 70112, 504-585-6041, hantune@tulane.edu

The Tulane Center for Clinical Effectiveness and Prevention has used health fairs as a method to assess the health status of Latinos in the New Orleans area. METHODS: Four Latino health fairs were conducted during the study period. All Latino health fair participants were interviewed by trained bilingual public health/medical students, using a Spanish form of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Data from the survey was analyzed using SPSSİ. RESULTS: From 200 completed surveys, women represented 70% of respondents, the mean age was 49, the majority of respondents were of Central American origin, with 70% Hondurans. 72% had no health insurance, 21.9% had private insurance, 2.5% Medicaid and 3.0% Medicare. Selected reported risk factors include: high cholesterol 28%, hypertension 29%, depression 25%, diabetes 6% and cancer 3%. Data limitations, the sample was small with a highly skewed population, but despite its limitations, this is the only available data about the health status of Latinos in New Orleans. CONCLUSION: Due to the mentioned limitations, this data cannot be compared to national data about Latinos, however this is one of the few health status data reported about Central American Latinos in the United States.

Learning Objectives:

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Latinos, Chronic Diseases and the Environment

The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA