Disease Prevention
While the Hispanic population in Harrisonburg and the surrounding area has reached almost 9,000 people, cultural, socioeconomic and linguistic barriers continue to foster health disparities.
Forty-seven percent of Hispanics do not have health insurance, limiting access to the health care system.
Hispanics are less likely to have a regular care provider, using emergency rooms for non emergent uses. As a result, many Hispanic families do not establish a medical home with a primary caregiver.
Without a medical home, Hispanic families are less likely to receive information on preventative health measures and to be diagnosed with serious illnesses such as diabetes and high cholesterol.
As a result, Hispanics disproportionately suffer from preventable diseases, are often unaware of important medical conditions, and lack information on prevention or treatment.
Reducing these and other health disparities is a top priority for the U.S. government’s national health initiative, Healthy People 2010.
To bridge this gap locally, Promotores deliver the necessary information, awareness and support for a healthy community by providing:
- referrals to health care organizations
- blood pressure screenings
- assistance in filling out forms
- nutrition education
- information on family planning
- facts about vaccinations and immunizations
- and more
