Escalante A, del Rincón I
Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78229, USA.
Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2001 Mar;13(2):104-10. doi: 10.1097/00002281-200103000-00003.
The emergence of a sizable Hispanic population in the US is a relatively recent historical phenomenon, and thus much is still unknown about this group of North Americans. Data from national surveys suggest small differences between Hispanic and non-Hispanic white populations in the age-adjusted prevalence of self-reported arthritic conditions. However, the rate of activity-limitation attributable to arthritis is higher among Hispanic patients. This likely reflects the poorer socioeconomic conditions and lack of health insurance that prevail among Hispanic populations, which may limit their access to rheumatologic care. Osteoporotic vertebral and hip fractures are less frequent, and proximal femoral mineral density is higher, in Hispanic individuals than in non-Hispanic white individuals. The mechanisms for these observations are currently under investigation. There have been no studies of the prevalence of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or systemic lupus erythematosus among Hispanic populations. However, important immunogenetic, clinical, and psychosocial differences between Hispanic and non-Hispanic patients in regard to rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus have been reported. There is no published information on the prevalence or characteristics of other rheumatic diseases in the US Hispanic population. Emerging evidence suggests considerable underuse of certain health services for arthritis among Hispanic patients, likely due in part to socioeconomic factors. Further research is needed to determine whether biologic, cultural or psychosocial factors contribute to underuse as well. There is clearly a need for data on the prevalence and characteristics of arthritis and other rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases in this emerging US population.
美国大量西班牙裔人口的出现是一个相对较新的历史现象，因此对于这群北美人仍有很多未知之处。全国性调查数据显示，在自我报告的关节炎状况的年龄调整患病率方面，西班牙裔和非西班牙裔白人人口之间存在细微差异。然而，西班牙裔患者中因关节炎导致活动受限的比例更高。这可能反映出西班牙裔人群中普遍存在的较差社会经济状况和缺乏医疗保险的情况，这可能限制了他们获得风湿病护理的机会。西班牙裔个体的骨质疏松性椎体和髋部骨折发生率较低，股骨近端骨密度较高，高于非西班牙裔白人个体。目前正在对这些观察结果的机制进行研究。尚未有关于西班牙裔人群中骨关节炎、类风湿关节炎或系统性红斑狼疮患病率的研究。然而，已经报道了西班牙裔和非西班牙裔患者在类风湿关节炎和系统性红斑狼疮方面重要的免疫遗传学、临床和心理社会差异。在美国西班牙裔人群中，没有关于其他风湿性疾病患病率或特征的已发表信息。新出现的证据表明，西班牙裔患者中某些关节炎健康服务的使用严重不足，这可能部分归因于社会经济因素。还需要进一步研究以确定生物学、文化或心理社会因素是否也导致了使用不足。显然，需要有关这一新兴美国人群中关节炎及其他风湿性和肌肉骨骼疾病患病率和特征的数据。
