Mental Health in the Latino Community

It is no secret that the Latino community is a very important segment of the population in the United States. But until recently, very little research has been done on the subject of Latino health.

Why Latinos?

Latinos are one of the youngest groups in the United States with a median age of 26.2 years. And due to certain factors such as high fertility and migration patterns it has been predicted that by the turn of the century, Latinos will become the largest ethnic/racial group in the United States.

Problem

As important as the Latino population is in the United States, it has been shown that they do not use methods of health care as often as other groups. Part of the problem is that there exist certain factors that act as barriers to health care. Some of these factors include:

Shame
Cultural factors
Language barriers
Transportation
Money
Lack of knowledge about a disease or symptoms

Purpose of this site

The purpose of this site is to educate about disease and their symptoms. This site discusses two common mental disorders. It contains a brief description of the disorder, basic symptoms and the effects the particular condition can have on a Latino person and the rest of the community. It also contains links to other sites that have more details about these specific diseases.

Clinical/Severe Depression

Occasional depression or "the blues" is normal. However, when the feeling of depression lingers for a long time, then it becomes a serious problem.

Symptoms

Constant sadness and anxiety

An empty feeling

Lack of energy

Irritability

Problems with sleeping, too much or not enough

Difficulty focusing, remembering or making decisions

Weight problems, either gaining or losing weight

Chronic aches and pains

Excessive crying

Future looks grim

Thoughts of death and suicide

Suicide attempt

Effects on the Latino community

Certain segments of the Latino population are more at risk of becoming Clinically Depressed. One such group is the elderly. After the death of a spouse, elderly people can become severely depressed, but with the support of extended family and other members of the community it can be overcome. Another group at risk is the recent immigrant to the United States. Being away from family and friends can be very depressing especially for someone who is accustomed to being in close contact with them as Latinos often are.

Click for more information about clinical depression.

Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease affects the brain. It is commonly found in the elderly and some of the symptoms may be confused with the normal effects of aging. The only way to accurately diagnose Alzheimer's is by examining the brain of the patient with a microscope. The method used to clinically diagnose Alzheimer's is a process in which the patient must meet a set of criteria, which includes:

I. Problems with memory and loss of insight.
II. Insidious onset
III. Cognitive Deficits in at least two of the following areas:

Anomia-The patient is not able to find the correct words for different objects.

Agnosia- The patient is unable to recognize various objects.

Apraxia- The patient is unable to carry out purposeful movements and actions even though their motor and sensory systems are intact

Symptoms

Gradual memory loss

Gradual loss of recognition of family members

Loss of language skills

Inability to do common tasks

Inability to make decisions

Inability to control bodily functions

Effects on the Latino community

Elderly patients in the Latino community are taken care of by their grown children or other relatives. Also, many times in the Latino community, the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease are thought of as a normal part of aging so there is no need to seek professional help.

More information about Alzheimer's Disease is available at the Alzheimer's Information Site

More information for mental or any other disease is available at Medline Plus

This web page was developed by Jaime Montiel to fulfill a requirement of the class CHI 21: Health Issues in the Chicano/Latino Community taught by Seline Szkupinski Quiroga in the Chicana & Chicano Studies Program at the University of California at Davis, Fall 1998.