Oral

The Latino community is projected to grow annually by at least 2% until 2030. By 2050, population growth estimates forecast that Latinos will double in size, becoming almost 25% of the total U.S. population. This rapid expansion, combined with the increasing heterogeneity of the nationalities composing the Latino population, underlines the need for up-to-date, accurate information on Latinos that takes into account their growing diversity in order to advance effective health policy. Despite the growing population and myriad of significant health inequities faced by Latinos, effective Latino-driven policies continue to be limited in the United States. Reducing the long-term costs and consequences of health disparities, cultural myopia, discriminatory immigration policy, and under- and uninsurance among Latinos by subgroup must become a national priority. This session will detail community-oriented collaborative policy and intervention efforts within the Latino community and provide scientific evidence and real-life examples for enhancing Latino-effective practices and policies supporting community wellness.

Session Objectives: By the end of this panel, the participants will be able to: 1) Identify health policy intervention options within specific Latino communities, 2) Discuss the challenges and controversies of policies currently in place, 3) Appraise applicability of resources in communities that contribute to health, and 4) Identify interventions to equitably improve wellness for diverse Latino communities.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)