Quality healthcare is impossible when communication and cultural barriers hinder people from seeing a physician or prevent doctors from understanding their patient’s symptoms and concerns. This is especially true in the Latino community.
Latinos are the largest and fastest-growing minority group in New York City – and in the United States – yet their healthcare status is among the worst. This disparity has a lot to do with the lack of Hispanic healthcare professionals, particularly those who speak Spanish and understand Latino culture. There are other significant obstacles. Health information to help prevent disease is not adequately directed to the community. Additionally, Latinos typically go to the doctor less often because they lack health insurance, are less familiar with medical technology, and – for those whose immigration status may be in question – fear deportation.
At the Itzamna Medical Center, we overcome these communication and cultural barriers to ensure that patients receive the best treatment available and in an environment that is sensitive to their particular needs. Our goal is to provide quality healthcare services that address the specific needs of the Latino community – and to do so in a comprehensive approach that nurtures the overall health and wellness of each patient as well as the community at large.
Our Physicians’ Philosophy
At Itzamna, we have brought back the concept of a general practitioner, and done so in a state-of-the art environment. Our doctors have the ability to evaluate all medical issues and conditions, and offer treatment for everything from a common virus to life-threatening illnesses. We believe we are responsible for the entire well-being of our patients, from diet and nutrition to immunization and treatment. And we strive to educate our patients and their families about healthy living.
A Model That Bridges Boundaries
Our mission extends beyond the immediate care of our patients. Itzamna Medical Center fosters change in the healthcare delivery system by creating a new model for the medical establishment to follow.
Hispanics or Latinos are persons of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central-American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. The federal government considers Race and Hispanic origin to be two separate and distinct concepts; Hispanic Americans may be any race.Though Hispanic communities can be found throughout Florida, the Northeast, and other parts of the country, the greatest concentrations of Hispanics are in the southwestern states from Texas to California. The states with the greatest concentration of Hispanics are New Mexico, California, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, and Florida. See Map
Though they share many aspects of a common heritage such as language and emphasis on extended family, Hispanic cultures vary significantly by country of origin. Hispanics tend to be younger than the white non-Hispanic population (except for Cubans, who have a higher proportion of elderly than other Hispanic groups). Their health profiles are also unique: Puerto Ricans suffer disproportionately from asthma, HIV/AIDS, and infant mortality, while Mexican Americans suffer disproportionately from diabetes. Factors that contribute to poor health outcomes among Hispanics include language and cultural barriers, social-economic factors, educational level, lack of access to preventive care and lack of health insurance. See Latino Educational Attainment
As of 2005, the Hispanic population in the continental U.S. was 41.9 million, or 14.5% of the total population. An additional 3.9 million Hispanics were residing in Puerto Rico. The Census Bureau projects that by the year 2040 there will be 87.5 million Hispanic individuals, comprising 22.3 percent of the population. It is projected that Latinos will account for more than one in four Americans by 2050.
85% of Hispanics under 18 were born in the United States.
The projected Hispanic population of the United States in 2050 is 102.6 million. According to this projection, Hispanics will constitute 24% of the nation's total population by that date.
The Hispanic older population was 2.0 million in 2002 and is projected to grow to over 13 million by 2050.
By 2028, the Hispanic population aged 65 and older is projected to be the largest racial/ethnic minority group in the 65+ age group.
By 2050, the percentage of the older population that is Hispanic is projected to account for 16 percent of the older population.
$35,967, The median income of Hispanic households in 2005, statistically unchanged from the previous year.
Latino buying power is more than $800 billion.
By 2010, it is expected that Hispanics will have more than $1.2 trillion in disposable income.
The U.S. Latino population remits billions of dollars to Latin America: $45.8 billion in 2004, of this, $4 Billion were sent from New York Latinos. Read More...
Latino Health Facts
Leading Contributors to Premature Death
It is estimated that 400,000 deaths in 2000 are attributable to poor diet and physical inactivity, a 33 percent increase from 300,000 deaths estimated for 1999, and the largest increase among all actual causes of death. However, poor diet and physical inactivity could account for even more deaths (>500,000) when 1999-2000 prevalence estimates of overweight have their full effect.
Cancer
In 2003, Hispanic men were 19% less likely to have prostate cancer as non-Hispanic white men.
In 2003, Hispanic women were 39% less likely to have breast cancer as non-Hispanic white women.
Hispanic men and women have higher incidence and mortality rates for stomach and liver cancer.
In 2003, Hispanic women were 2.2 times as likely as non-Hispanic white women to be diagnosed with cervical cancer.
Diabetes
Mexican American adults were 2 times more likely than non-Hispanic white adults to have been diagnosed with diabetes by a physician.
In 2002, Hispanics were 1.5 times as likely to start treatment for end-stage renal disease related to diabetes, as compared to non-Hispanic white men.
In 2003 Hispanics were 1.5 times as likely as non-Hispanic Whites to die from diabetes.
Heart Disease
In 2004, Hispanics were 10% less likely to have heart disease, as compared to non-Hispanic whites.
In 2003 Mexican American men were 30% less likely to die from heart disease, as compared to non-Hispanic white men.
Mexican American women were 1.2 times more likely than non-Hispanic white women to be obese.
HIV/AIDS
Hispanics accounted for 18% of HIV/AIDS cases in 2004.
Hispanic males had over 3 times the AIDS rate as non-Hispanic white males.
Hispanic females had over 5 times the AIDS rate as non-Hispanic white females.
Hispanic men were 2.7 times as likely to die from HIV/AIDS as non-Hispanic white men.
Hispanic women were 4.5 times as likely to die from HIV/AIDS as non-Hispanic white women. Read More...
The Quality of Health Care Delivered in the United States
The U.S.A. has the most advanced Health Care Delivery system in the world, yet there are concerns about the effectiveness and efficiency of this system. All major industrialized countries are confronting the challenge of providing their populations with accessible, high-quality, safe, and efficient health care.The allocation of resources, the prioritizing of health programs and reimbursement, especially of Physicians are of major concern. Quality and Outcomes are the basis by which we determine whether we are doing a good Job.
Yet, in many respects, we are not providing the Quality and obtaining the Outcomes that are expected from a Health care delivery system that spent 2.1 Trillion dollars in 2007.
Healthcare Inequities in U.S. Widening Among Hispanics
While healthcare quality has improved modestly for most minorities in the U.S., for Hispanics, the disparities have actually increased for both quality of care and access to care, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's 2005 National Healthcare Disparities Report. Substantial gaps remain between the best possible care and the care that people actually get, the report determines. Those gaps tend to be larger for people who are members of racial or ethnic minorities or who are poor. And this year it's larger still for Hispanics. Read more...
American Cost of Diet- and Inactivity-Related Diseases*
•Cancer$189.5 billion •Coronary heart disease $133.2 billion •Diabetes$132 billion •Obesity$117 billion •High blood pressure$55.5 billion •Stroke$53.6 billion Benefits of Prevention •According to the United States Department of Agriculture, healthier diets could prevent at least $71 billion per year in medical costs, lost productivity, and lost lives. •The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that if all inactive Americans became active, we would save $77 billion in annual medical costs.
*Estimates of annual direct + indirect costs
Are there any Solutions to the Health Care Deficits that Latinos and other Minorities are Facing Everyday?
Visit LHI WebSite
In Addition to Itzamna Medical Center's Health Care services, we are working with BethIsraelMedicalCenter in New York City to provide real world, practical solutions. Starting from within the Latino community with Preventive Care to State of the Art Hospital Care. Read about these efforts in the Beth Israel Medical Center,Latino Health Institutes' El Curatívo...
Vol 1 No 1
Vol 1 No 2
Vol 1 No 3
Vol. 2 No. 2
See Alas overview
More Solutions...
The National Minority Quality Forum which is based in Washington DC, has created a demographic tool that can be used to root out and map where the Minority Healthcare disparities are hiding.
In an effort to help fight and eliminate Minority Health Care Disparities, the National Minority Quality Forum's overall efforts to improve self-care, prevention, treatment, management, and monitoring has been the use of the Forum database to map health data in the United States. Forum atlases map disease incidence and prevalence, using zip-code-level data. These Web-based resources enable users to view and compare information graphically,nationwide, by state, by congressional district, and by state legislative district. The atlases provide focus and perspective for educational, advocacy, and public-affairs initiatives.
Beginning in December 2007, the Latino Health Institute started a monthly Healthy Living Seminar Series for students at the Boys & Girls Harbor's Emily N. Carey Harbor School. Boys & Girls Harbor is a not-for-profit organization that has been providing education and character development to underprivileged children in Manhattan and the South Bronx since 1937. Read more...
The Partnership with Vision Urbana, a New York City, Lower East Side community-based organization dedicated to improving and enriching the lives of youth, families and the elderly, is an excellent example of how becoming part of the everyday life of people promotes good health care. Re-establishing the Patient-Physician relationship is the model we promote. Read more...
