Hispanic American/latina Women
As an old saying goes, “No hay peor lucha que la que no se hace.” There isn’t a worse fight than the one that is not made.
— Maria Yañez
The term “Latina” or “Hispanic American” includes several nationalities: Mexicans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Central Americans (Nicaraguans, Salvadorans, Guatemalans, Hondurans, Panamanians, Costa Ricans, etc.), South Americans (also several countries) and persons of Spanish ancestry.
The Hispanic population is the fastest-growing population and the largest minority group in the United States. Hispanic Americans make up approximately 12.5 percent of the U.S. opulation, and that number will increase to somewhere between 19 and 24 percent by 2050, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.
North Carolina’s Hispanic/Latino population is growing quickly as well. In 1990 there were estimated to be 76,726 Hispanics/Latinos living in North Carolina. By 2000 that number had more than quadrupled to 378,963 (U.S. Census). Those numbers are likely to be an underestimate because they do not take into account Hispanic persons of undocumented residency status.
Cancer research in Hispanic/Latina populations has been hindered by a number of factors and thus may not be entirely correct. Also, data from national cancer registries may not be accurate for Hispanic American/Latina women because, until recently, cancer registries have not collected data specifically on this population.
What is the risk of breast
cancer for Hispanic American/Latina women?
Breast cancer is the most commonly
diagnosed cancer and the leading cause
of cancer death among Hispanic American/Latina
women. Although breast cancer is diagnosed
about 30 percent less often among women
of Hispanic origin, it is more often
diagnosed at a later stage (when the
disease is more advanced) than when
found in non-Hispanic women. This is
true even when access to health care
is adequate. Hispanic/Latina females
also have the highest rates of cervical
cancer of any ethnic group, including
whites. Both of these distressing statistics
are related to Hispanic/Latina women
not getting adequate screening with
mammograms, clinical breast exams and
Pap smears.
What special challenges
do Hispanic/Latina women face?
Lack of access to health care
is a major barrier to early detection
and treatment of breast cancer and one
that many Hispanic women face. More
often than any other group, Hispanic
Americans/Latinos have no regular source
of health care.
A high proportion of Hispanic women are uninsured (about 30 percent). Uninsured Hispanic women with breast cancer are more than twice as likely as other women to be diagnosed with breast cancer in advanced stages. The disease is more difficult to treat successfully when it is diagnosed in its advanced stages, and survival rates are lower.
Hispanic/Latina women also face other barriers to health care, including difficulties with language, transportation, child care, immigration status and cultural differences.
What can Hispanic American/Latina women do?
- Many health departments and large hospitals now have Spanish translators to help healthcare providers communicate with Spanish-speakers. If you need one, ask.
- If you are age 40 or above, get regular mammograms and breast exams (talk to your health care provider about how often). Spread the word to women you know to do the same.
- If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, think about seeking treatment from one of the three Comprehensive Cancer Centers in North Carolina or from another large cancer center. See our listing of North Carolina Hospitals and Cancer Centers).
- If you need help paying for mammograms or treatment, see Financial and Other Assistance.
- Be an advocate for your health care. If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, become informed about your diagnosis, treatment, and long-term follow-up care. Participate in making decisions about your care. Use this Resource Directory to help you learn more about your options and to find additional resources for more information.
- Communicate as much and as openly as possible with your health care providers. If you are not comfortable talking openly with a provider, look for another provider that you can trust.
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Public
Insurance And Latino Immigrants For example, the Welfare Reform Act of 1996 placed restrictions on immigrants’ access to public programs. Legal immigrants who lived in the U.S. before August 22, 1996 can get public coverage through Medicaid or SCHIP. Those who entered on or after that date are not eligible for five years, and then other restrictions apply. Undocumented immigrants are barred from Medicaid in most states. Even immigrants who do qualify are afraid to apply because they wrongly fear that receiving Medicaid will jeopardize their citizenship status. Adapted from Health Coverage in Latino Communities: What’s the Problem and What Can You Do About It? Families USA, http://www.familiesusa.org. |
RESOURCES FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
A Guide to Developing and Sustaining Spanish Speaking Support Groups (2002). This handbook is a two-part reference guide offering culturally sensitive information for providers working with Latinas with breast cancer. Contact National Center for Cultural Competence, 888.315.5988 or http://www.nccc.org.
Educate Our Women (Raleigh, NC)
Assists low-income, uninsured African American
and Latina women in Wake County with mammograms.
Also provides education about breast health
through lay health advisors. Call for details
and eligibility requirements. (2006 Komen
NC Triangle Affiliate Grantee)
Hazlo Por Tu Familia (Siler City, NC)
Immigrant Health Initiative, Chatham Hospital
919.663.2005
Offers immigrant Latinas breast health education,
breast exams, case management and aftercare
lymphedema therapy. (2006 Komen NC Triangle
Affiliate Grantee)
Hermanas Unidas el Contra Cancer (Cabarrus
County)
704.920.1120 (English and Spanish)
This group of Latina lay health advisors
meets the second Friday of the month at 10:00
am at The Hispanic Learning Center to plan
events and breast health education and outreach
strategies. Contact JoAnna M. Brown at jmbrown@cabarrushealth.org
for more information. (2006 Komen Charlotte
Affiliate Grantee)
Lincoln Community Health Center (Durham,
NC)
919.956.4026
http://www.lincolnchc.org
Has an outreach program to provide screening
and bilingual education to uninsured women
in Durham County. (2006 Komen NC Triangle
Affiliate Grantee)
Mammograms for Life! (Nashville, NC)
Nash County Health Department
252.459.9819
Provides mammograms and other diagnostic
services such as ultrasound and biopsies
to women in need, including Hispanic women.
(2006 Komen NC Triangle Affiliate Grantee)
Medline Plus: Hispanic American Health
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hispanicamericanhealth.html
Covers news, nutrition, screening, research,
organizations, statistics and other issues
relevant to Hispanic Americans.
National
Council of Women’s
Health
212.746.6967
http://www.ncwh.org
Publishes “Talking to Latinas About
Breast Cancer,” a bilingual guide that
describes how community organizations can
develop successful breast cancer outreach
programs for Latinas.
Nueva Vida
202.223.9100
http://www.nueva-vida.org
This organization—a support network
to inform, support and empower Latinas affected
by cancer—can provide Spanish language
resources to anyone in need.
Office of Minority Health Resource Center
800.444.6472
http://www.omhrc.gov
Publishes the “Breast Cancer Resource
Guide for Minority Women.” Call to
order or see http://www.omhrc.gov/omhrc/publications/bcrg2005.pdf.
Redes en Accion:
The National Hispanic/Latino Cancer Network
210.348.0255
http://www.redesenaccion.org
This National Cancer Institute-funded, nationwide
network of community-based organizations,
research institutions, government health
agencies and the public was developed to
combat cancer among Latinos.
SAHLSA: Short Assessment of Health Literacy
for Spanish-Speaking Adults
919.966.7770
This brief test helps health care workers
identify patients with low health literacy
and alerts them that alternative communication
methods (audio, video, pictures) may be needed.
Available in the June 2006 issue of Health
Services Research. See http://www.blackwellpublishing.com or contact author at 919.966.7770 or sylee@email.unc.edu.
HELP FOR AGENCIES AND PROVIDERS OFFERING BILINGUAL SERVICES IN NORTH CAROLINA
The Access Project
617.654.9911
http://www.accessproject.org/pr_LEP.html
The Access Project and the National Health
Law Program have developed a Language Services
Action Kit for advocates and providers to
ensure that people with limited English proficiency
get language help in medical settings.
The Carolina Association of Translators
and Interpreters (CATI)
919.577.0840
http://www.catiweb.org
Professional association for translators
and interpreters in different languages.
Publishes a yearly membership directory by
language and field of expertise.
Interpreter Training
919.715.0992
Coordinated by the North Carolina Office
of Minority Heath and North Carolina Interpreter
Task Force. Various interpreter-training
programs are provided at various locations
and times throughout the state.
The North Carolina Migrant Health Program
800.255.8755
Provides access to a toll-free Spanish medical
interpreter service for providers of health
care services to migrant farmworkers and
their families in North Carolina.
The North Carolina Refugee Health Program
919.715.3119
Provides health departments access to the
AT&T language line for services for newly
arrived refugees.