Nearly 30 percent of Hispanics in New Jersey are uninsured. Assisting these citizens in getting the care they deserve needs to be a higher priority for our health system — especially here.
By Yanira Cruz
Nobel Laureate economist Angus Deaton has drawn new attention to the so-called "Hispanic Paradox": the fact that, despite higher rates of poverty and lower levels of education, Hispanic Americans -- who make up nearly 20 percent of New Jersey's population -- tend to live longer than non-Hispanic whites.
Not only does this disparity persist, but it is actually widening among middle-aged Americans.
However, there's a dark side to the Hispanic Paradox: Latinos are living longer, but not healthier. In fact, Hispanics are much more likely to suffer from a whole range of chronic diseases, including Alzheimer's.
Making matters worse, older Hispanics are generally ill-equipped to manage their health conditions due to low levels of health literacy and limited access to long-term care, among other challenges. In short, our health system is failing Latinos in their later years. Addressing these issues requires policies that empower Hispanics to remain healthy as they age.
New Jersey especially must play its part, since the state has one of the highest Hispanic populations in the country.
These seniors are especially underserved when it comes to health care, according to a new report from the National Hispanic Council on Aging, an organization I lead.
The national diabetes rate among Hispanics is 11.3 percent, compared to only 7.8 percent among whites, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Latinos are also twice as likely to suffer from HIV, and 1.5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's.
At the same time, this population faces distinct challenges when it comes to managing their health. Among patients with Alzheimer's, for instance, Latinos are less likely to be diagnosed than white patients, which makes coping with this debilitating illness substantially more difficult.
Even those Hispanics who are diagnosed often struggle to find the sort of long-term care required to manage the illness. Indeed, Latinos are underrepresented in everything from residential care communities to nursing home services and hospices, the NHCOA report notes.
In New Jersey, Hispanics, who are the state's largest minority population, make up only 7 percent of nursing home residents.
Unable to find professional long-term care, many older Latinos must rely on the generosity of their families and loved ones. A recent survey from Evercare and the National Alliance for Caregiving found that over a third of Hispanic households include an unpaid caregiver.
This lack of access to suitable care is compounded by low levels of education and health literacy among Hispanics. The U.S. Department of Education found that only 4 percent of Latinos qualify as sufficiently health literate. Older Hispanics, meanwhile, have significantly lower rates of high-school graduation than whites.
These factors make it far more difficult for Hispanics to acquire health insurance, access federal health benefits, or secure long-term care. Indeed, nearly 30 percent of Hispanics in New Jersey are uninsured, compared to 8 percent of Whites and 16 percent of Blacks.
Fortunately, a number of federal reforms could go a long way towards facilitating healthy aging in the Hispanic community. For one, programs and benefit schemes could be far more user-friendly for older Latinos.
This means, for instance, establishing senior call centers where older Americans of diverse backgrounds can receive information about federal programs in their native language. Similarly, an education initiative staffed with bilingual volunteers should be created to assist seniors in accessing their health benefits.
Another valuable reform would create an early notification system that would inform Hispanic Americans about programs like Medicare and Social Security as they approach eligibility age. Just as important are policies that encourage medical progress on conditions that disproportionately affect Hispanics.
A far more aggressive research effort is required if the American healthcare system is to avoid bankruptcy from this single condition.
The extraordinary longevity of Hispanic Americans is a testament to the population's resilience. But for too many Latinos, these added years of life bring serious, unmanageable illness. Assisting these citizens in getting the care they deserve needs to be a higher priority for our health system -- especially here in New Jersey.
Yanira Cruz, PhD, is the president and CEO of the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA).