Understanding the Hispanic/Latino Patient
Section snippets
The Hispanic/Latino Population in the United States
The Hispanic/Latino population is the largest minority group in the United States, representing 15.8% of the population in 2009.1 According to 2006 data from the US Census Bureau, the largest Hispanic subgroup comprised persons of Mexican descent (65.5%), followed by those of Puerto Rican (8.6%), Central American (8.2%), South American (6.0%), Cuban (3.7%), and other Hispanic (8.0%) descent.2 Although often used interchangeably, including by the US Census Bureau,3 the terms “Hispanic” and
Genetic Differences Among Hispanic/Latino Subgroups and Relation to Risk for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
A study investigating various genetic markers demonstrated that the genetic ancestry of Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Cubans is heterogeneous.9 The proportion of the contemporary gene pool derived from Spanish, Native American, and West African ancestry for Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Cubans is shown in Figure 1.9
Studies have shown that the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus varies among Hispanic/Latino subgroups. According to data from the 1982 to 1984 Hispanic Health and
Challenges and Opportunities in Treating Hispanic/Latino Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Although genetics clearly contribute to the risk of type 2 diabetes in Hispanics/Latinos, a number of cultural factors may affect type 2 diabetes outcomes.4, 5, 18 A list of key challenges in the treatment and prevention of type 2 diabetes among Hispanic/Latino patients is presented in Table 1. While these cultural factors may affect the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes, they may also offer opportunities to increase awareness of the disease and improve its treatment.
Summary
The risk of type 2 diabetes is particularly high in Hispanics/Latinos in the United States and varies among subgroups. Although this increased risk is partly caused by genetic influences, a number of socioeconomic and cultural factors, including familismo, fatalismo, machismo, personalismo, and simpatia, may also affect healthcare outcomes in Hispanic/Latino patients. While these factors are not necessarily present in all individuals, an awareness of Hispanic/Latino culture is important in
Author Disclosures
The author of this article has disclosed the following industry relationships:
A. Enrique Caballero, MD, reports no relationships to disclose with any manufacturer of a product or device discussed in this supplement.
Acknowledgments
Medical writing services and editorial assistance provided by Karen Stauffer, PhD, and Lucy Whitehouse, of inScience Communications, a Wolters Kluwer business, were funded by Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.
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Statement of author disclosure: Please see the Author Disclosures section at the end of this article.