Markides K S, Coreil J
Public Health Rep. 1986 May-Jun;101(3):253-65.
Recent reports in the literature on the health status of southwestern Hispanics, most of whom are Mexican Americans, are reviewed critically. The review is organized into the following sections: infant mortality, mortality at other ages, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, other diseases, interview data on physical health, and mental health. Despite methodological limitations of much of the research, it can be concluded with some certainty that the health status of Hispanics in the Southwest is much more similar to the health status of other whites than that of blacks although socioeconomically, the status of Hispanics is closer to that of blacks. This observation is supported by evidence on such key health indicators as infant mortality, life-expectancy, mortality from cardiovascular diseases, mortality from major types of cancer, and measures of functional health. On other health indicators, such as diabetes and infectious and parasitic diseases, Hispanics appear to be clearly disadvantaged relative to other whites. Factors explaining the relative advantages or disadvantages of Hispanics include cultural practices, family supports, selective migration, diet, and genetic heritage. The recently completed Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey will go a long way to provide answers to many questions regarding the health of Hispanics in the Southwest or elsewhere.
本文对文献中近期有关西南部西班牙裔人群健康状况的报告进行了批判性综述，其中大多数西班牙裔为墨西哥裔美国人。综述分为以下几个部分：婴儿死亡率、其他年龄段死亡率、心血管疾病、癌症、糖尿病、其他疾病、身体健康访谈数据以及心理健康。尽管大部分研究在方法上存在局限性，但可以较为确定地得出结论：西南部西班牙裔人群的健康状况与其他白人更为相似，而非黑人，尽管在社会经济方面，西班牙裔的地位更接近黑人。这一观察结果得到了婴儿死亡率、预期寿命、心血管疾病死亡率、主要癌症类型死亡率以及功能健康指标等关键健康指标的证据支持。在其他健康指标方面，如糖尿病以及传染病和寄生虫病，西班牙裔相对于其他白人明显处于劣势。解释西班牙裔相对优势或劣势的因素包括文化习俗、家庭支持、选择性移民、饮食和遗传基因。最近完成的西班牙裔健康与营养检查调查将在很大程度上为许多有关西南部或其他地区西班牙裔人群健康的问题提供答案。
