Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #105977

Ann V. Millard, PhD¹, Esmeralda Sánchez, BA¹, Nancy Arden, MN², Jeanine M. Harris, MPH³, Roderick E. McCallum, PhD⁴, Mark Williamson, PhD⁵, and Isidore Flores, PhD⁶. (1) South Texas Center, Sch. of Rural Public Health, TAMUS HSC, 701 E. Vermont Ave., McAllen, TX 78503-1733, 956.668.6320, avmillard@tamhsc.edu, (2) SRPH-TAMUS HSC, Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, 3000 Briarcrest Drive #300, Bryan, TX 77802, (3) Planned Parenthood, 916 E. Hackberry, McAllen, TX 78501, (4) College of Medicine, 153 Reynolds Medical Building, TAMU 1114, College Station, TX 77843-1114, (5) Univ. of Texas Pan American, 1201 W. University Drive, MAGC 3.302, Edinburg, TX 78541, (6) School of Rural Public Health, South Texas Center, Texas A&M Health Science Center, 701 East Vermont Avenue, McAllen, TX 78503

This presentation deals with the colonias in Hidalgo County, Texas, which are unincorporated settlements in rural areas, many of which were subdivided and sold to low-income workers in the region over past decades. In 1989, the state began to address the inadequate infrastructure of colonias--inadequate sewage systems (44% of households in 1988), lack of running water (21%), and crowded, dilapidated housing, all with well-known adverse consequences for public health. Since policy changes, including the implementation of county subdivision standards and state potable water programs, the general profile of colonias has improved. This presentation traces changes in colonia conditions in a large border county (with almost 570,000 people in 2000) that lacks a central city (cf., El Paso County with a major city and nearly 680,000 people). The quality of housing in the colonias today varies from substandard to far above average; access to public utilities and sociodemographic characteristics of the residents vary widely as well. Out of 476 colonias in Hidalgo County, 41.5% have city sewage; 98.3% have city water; and 42.1% have houses constructed of brick or stone. Young children in a household sample had the following healthcare coverage: 77.2%, Medicaid; 6.6% CHIP; 2.8% private insurance; 13.2% no health coverage. The presentation concludes by discussing the benefits of the policy changes, the extent of current problems with infrastructure, and the nature of contemporary public health challenges in the colonias.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this presentation, the participant will be able to

(
• describe how state policy formation can improve rural infrastructure in border colonias, (
• describe at least one unintended consequence of state policy, and (
• discuss 2 ongoing public health concerns regarding colonias.

Keywords: Policy/Policy Development, Latino Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.