Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2024
Advisor
Jeannette Manger
Abstract
Background: Hispanic/Latino communities in the United States face significant health disparities and poorer health outcomes compared to non-Hispanic whites. While previous research has documented these inequalities at the national level, it is unclear whether certain regions exhibit more substantial disparities than others. Hypothesis/Research Question: This study aims to investigate whether counties in Midwest states with higher rates of health inequalities and unfavorable outcomes have compared to counties in the top 3 states by Hispanic/Latino population percentage. Methods: Using County Health Rankings, we examined counties in Midwest states (Ohio, South Dakota, and North Dakota) and counties within high Latino population states (California, New Mexico, and Texas). We conducted independent samples t-tests and multiple linear regression analyses to compare health outcomes and assess predictors of health rankings between the two county groups. Results : We found a significant difference (p<.001) in Health Outcomes rank between high Latino and Midwest states. Paired t-tests revealed significant Latino population increases in both high (p<.001) and low (p<.001) percentage states from 2016-2022. In CA/NM/TX, higher income (β=-.372, p<.001) and college education (β=-.290, p<.001) predicted better rankings, but higher Latino percentage (β=.155, p=.002) predicted poorer rankings. In OH/SD/ND, only income and education were significant predictors. There was a positive correlation between the percentage of the Hispanic/Latino population and the percentage of uninsured residents (Spearman's rho = 0.166, p = 0.002). However, no significant correlation was found between the Hispanic/Latino population percentage and the ratio of population to primary care physicians or preventable hospitalization rates. Conclusion: Findings demonstrate regional health outcome disparities for Latino communities influenced by socioeconomic factors and healthcare access barriers. Targeted interventions addressing these inequities are critically needed.
Repository Citation
Aviles, J., & DaCosta Neto, M. H. (2024). Regional Disparities in Hispanic/Latino Health Outcomes: A Comparative Analysis of the Midwest and Top Hispanic Population States. Wright State University. Dayton, Ohio.
