Spanish-language campaign urges Latinos to stay healthy for loved ones

National PSA campaign launches in Spanish to encourage health and hospital visits

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and The Advertising Council launched a Spanish-language national public-service campaign designed to encourage Hispanics to become more involved in their health care. The public-service ads were distributed to about 2,500 Spanish-language media stations nationwide.

The Washington, D.C.-based organizations established the spring campaign to urge Latinos to stay healthy for their loved ones by visiting their doctors for regular screenings. Hispanics are 38 percent less likely than Whites or Blacks to have visited the doctor within the past year. In addition, more than a quarter of Hispanic adults have never had their cholesterol checked, two-thirds of Hispanics over 50 have never had a colonoscopy and nearly 54 percent of Hispanic women over 40 have not had a mammogram within the last year.

The fact that one-third of U.S. Hispanics are uninsured, along with linguistic and cultural barriers, plays a role in these disparities, according to the recent National Healthcare Disparities Report. Studies have found that Hispanics often lag behind the general population in access to preventive care even when they are insured. The campaign encourages Hispanic adults to visit a comprehensive Web site, www.ahrq.gov/superheroes. The site provides tips on ways to stay healthy and talking with your doctor, recommendations on preventive testing, help in understanding prescriptions, a quiz and glossary of medical terms as well as links to other resources that provide health information.