As we celebrate Black History Month, we find it crucial to shed light on an often-overlooked aspect of health disparities within our community, specifically among Afro-Latinos. While the Hispanic paradox generally points to better health outcomes for Latinos compared to their non-Latino White counterparts, this does not hold true for Afro-Latinos.
Health Disparities Among Afro-Latinos
Life Expectancy and Health Outcomes: Afro-Latinos experience a shorter life expectancy compared to both White Latino counterparts and non-Latino White Americans.
Maternal and Child Health: Pregnant Afro-Latinas face a higher risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, and small gestational age for newborns compared to White Latinas.
Self-Reported Health and Mental Health: Afro-Latinos are more likely to rate their health as fair or poor, report higher levels of depressive symptoms, and have higher self-reported hypertension than White Latino counterparts.
Sociocultural Factors: The impact of colorism and racism within our community is evident at contextual, interpersonal, and individual levels, influencing life chances and health outcomes.
Exploring the Roots
Contextual Factors: Racial segregation and unequal distribution of resources contribute to racial health inequities. Afro-Latinos, often living in racially segregated neighborhoods, face socioeconomic adversities that impact health outcomes.
Interpersonal Factors: Afro-Latinos encounter more discriminatory events, including labor market and housing discrimination.
A Call to Action
This Black History Month, let’s use our collective voice to address these disparities. By fostering understanding, advocating for comprehensive anti-Black racism policies, and supporting research initiatives, we can work towards a healthier and more equitable future for all members of our community.
As part of our Academic Pathways curriculum, on December 9th, 2023 we held a webinar about Afro-LHS+ in Medicine in the USA. Many Afrolatino leaders gathered to discuss important issues pertaining to Afro-LHS+ and solutions to build a successful career in medicine.
Please fill out this brief survey to know what other topics would you like us to cover in our upcoming webinar sessions, it will take 1 minute:
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