Health care needs of Hispanic Americans and the responsiveness of the health care system.

The Hispanic population in the United States is growing rapidly but this population has many health care needs that are not being met. The findings from recent research on the current health status of Hispanic people who live in the United States are presented. An assessment of how accessible and available medical care services are to Hispanic people is made. Serious gaps exist in the delivery of medical care services to this group. Human service providers, particularly social workers, can help make the current health care system more responsive to the needs of this group by helping Hispanic individuals who have no health insurance coverage to find employment that includes health insurance benefits or some other form of insurance, by establishing community-based health care centers in Hispanic communities, by developing counseling programs tailored to the alcohol and drug abuse problems of the Hispanic population, and by advocating for government agencies to improve existing sources of data on the health of this group.