Key findings from the study:

• Black and Latino children made, respectively, 37 percent and 49 percent fewer visits to psychiatrists, and 47 percent and 58 percent fewer visits to any mental health professional, than white children.
• Black children’s low use of services was not due to lesser need. Black and white children had similar rates of mental health problems, and similar rates of severe episodes that resulted in psychiatric hospitalization or emergency visits.
• Hispanic parents reported less mental health impairment among their children, but analyses that controlled for this lesser need for care continued to show underuse compared to non-Hispanic whites.
• Racial/ethnic disparities were even larger among young adults. Whites received about three times more outpatient mental health services than blacks and Hispanics in this age group. The substance abuse counseling rate for black young adults was strikingly low, about one-seventh that for whites.
• While poor children and young adults had lower rates of care, differences in income and insurance did not account for the racial/ethnic disparities in care.
• Among children, girls got less mental health care than boys. The gender difference was reversed among young adults, with women having more visits.
• Groups at highest risk for incarceration – black and Hispanic young men – had particularly low mental health visit rates. According to Department of Justice data, at least half of inmates suffer from mental illness, most of which had been untreated when they were arrested.

To read more, here is the abstract of the study: http://joh.sagepub.com/content/early/2016/08/11/0020731416662736.abstract

For the past decade or so, nutritional supplement companies have been selling in capsule form the active ingredient in wine that makes it so powerful and now, mainstream companies are jumping on the bandwagon. The ingredient is called resveratrol and it has been linked to numerous health benefits including heart disease and diabetes. For information on the current state of resveratrol research, here is an article from the WSJ:  http://www.wsj.com/articles/scientists-get-closer-to-harnessing-the-health-benefits-of-red-wine-1470065634

According to a recent study, 32% of Hispanics in Texas still do not have health insurance even after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

The new legislation has led to a drop in uninsured Hispanics from 46% to the current level.

More information can be found here: http://www.news-medical.net/news/20160714/Nearly-one-third-of-Hispanic-Texans-remain-uninsured-new-report-reveals.aspx

A recent study shows that Puerto Ricans have the highest chance of chronic illness among all Latino groups in the US, followed by Mexican Americans. In fact, 3 out of 10 Puerto Ricans have chronic illnesses such as diabetes or heart disease.

Overall, Hispanic adults in the US have poorer health than non-Hispanic adults. The study showed that 16.8 percent of Latino adults in the U.S. have fair or poor health ratings vs 11.9 percent of non-Hispanic adults.

Here is an article discussing this study in more depth: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/among-latino-groups-puerto-ricans-mexican-american-poorer-health-n594401

While all women are at risk of developing heart disease, Hispanic women have a slightly high risk than average. In fact, Hispanic women are more prone to develop heart disease ten years younger than their non-Hispanic peers.

Heart disease remains the number one killer among women in the US and 1 in 3 deaths can be attributed to it.

Experts suggest simple ways to decrease risks including learning about family history of health problems, eating better and staying active.

To learn more, visit this link: http://www.latinpost.com/articles/116867/20160229/hispanic-women-greater-heart-disease-risk.htm

According to a recent study, US Hispanics are more likely to have diabetes than other segments of the population. Here are some tips to help you prevent or delay diabetes:

1) Set small challenges for yourself that you can achieve. A series of small goals can lead to big improvements.

2) Team up with other people for support.

3) If you are overweight, just try to lose 5-7% of your current weight.

4) Make healthier food choices every day. Choose foods with fiber such as fruits and vegetables.

5) Make the time to prepare healthier foods.

6) Cut down on food portion sizes.

7) Choose water instead of soda or juice.

8) Increase your activity by walking more often.

9) Get active every day.

10) Educate yourself on diabetes prevention. Take ownership for your health.

The first national study of Hispanic health risks showed that Hispanics fare somewhat better than their non-Hispanic white peers in terms of health, even while carrying heavier financial burdens that might limit their access to adequate health care.

The two leading causes of death in Hispanics are cancer and heart disease but Hispanics are 50% more likely to die from diabetes and chronic liver disease than non-Hispanics in the US and are more likely to suffer from obesity.

A doctor associated with the study, Dr. Ken Dominguez, MPH, stated that the increased risk of diabetes and obesity is not genetic but likely associated with socioeconomic factors.

Strangely, American-born Hispanics are unhealthier than Hispanics who were born in other countries. That is partly true because they are more likely to smoke.

For more information, click here: http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/05/health/hispanic-health/