PHOENIX A Arizona Law and Election
Center town hall meeting now being planned will address issues of
minority health care.
The results of a 2006 health needs
assessment of minority health disparities in Maricopa County will
be revealed at the meeting.
The cost of health care and access to
it are serious issues among minorities in Maricopa, said Jon
Garrido, president of the Arizona Law and Election Center.
Minorities make up 42 percent of
Arizona's population, yet have a disproportionately high rate of
serious health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer
and HIV/AIDS, according to Arizona's 2006 Minority Health
Report.
Disparities in minority access to
prevention and treatment resources for these health problems are
apparent in Maricopa County, said Jon Garrido.
"We want to help officials understand
what the barriers are to minorities getting health care," said
Liliana Quintero of the Hispanic/Latino Health Coalition.
The presentation will include
information on why minorities don't receive treatment for
various illnesses and will explore the impact on area factories
and other facets of the community, she said
The coalition will seek responses from
community members on the assessment findings and how revealed
problems might be addressed.
The need for universal health care for Arizonans
will be a focus of ALEC.
Medical
Issues
Hispanics have the highest preponderance of medical issues. Obesity is the cause
of the number one medical issue and the primary effect is Diabetes which is
running rampant in our communities.
The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the national age adjusted prevalence
of diabetes in Mexican Americans is 13.1 percent, more than twice the prevalence
of non-Hispanic whites. People with diabetes are at risk for developing
premature complications and death because of general misunderstandings of the
disease and the difficulty in embracing the long-term behavior changes needed to
manage the disease. The CDC noted that in 1996, 27 percent of Hispanic deaths
were related to diabetes complications.
One of the
villains in obesity is Food Citys product mix of fat enriched foods. Non fat
items are no where to be found.
Advocacy
pending due diligence:
Class
action lawsuit against obesity: Food City
