Oral

Hispanics represent an estimated 13% of the US population (US Census Bureau, 2002) and during the next two decades their numbers are projected to dramatically increase. The lack of health care and disease prevention are serious problems that have lead to a disproportional burden of chronic and infectious diseases. Access to adequate health care, tailoring prevention programs and increasing access to insurance are major challenges that must be addressed today to improve every ones health. In particular, the effects of health services have not been fully explored in this population. The purpose of this session is to highlight programs that document folic acid use among Hispanic women, managed care on outpatient health care utilization, preventive services among Hispanic subgroups and to offer a new perspective on health disparities and policy implications.

Session Objectives: Objectives: At the end of the session the participant will: 1. Learn about ethnic disparities of women that take folic acid to prevent birth defects. 2. Identify patterns of outpatient health services utilization. 3. Recognize the differences in the health services utilization in asthma patients. 4. Know the historical approach of Latino health disparities. 5. Contextualize the Latino experience in the United States and identify the policy implications to reduce health disparities. 6. Understand how language access is a quality of care issue

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing