National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed each year from September 15 to October 15 to celebrate the achievements, histories, traditions, and cultural diversity of Hispanic/Latino Americans.

Although Hispanic/Latino Americans tend to live an average of 1.3 years longer than non-Hispanic whites, they are generally in poorer health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2022 approximately 16 percent of Hispanics were in fair or poor health, compared to 13.5 percent of white Americans.

Check out this upcoming program NWAHEC is offering "Cultural and Systemic Considerations for Working With Latine Communities" Live Webinar on September 29th 10am-12pm. This training will center on cultural and contextual considerations for working with Latine individuals and families. We will take a broad look at different aspects that impact this work, including cultural, immigration, and systemic factors, as well as discrimination and oppression. Within the frame of cultural responsiveness, we will present practical tools and evidence-based approaches to support the work of providers working with Latine communities.

Hispanic health is shaped by several factors, including language and cultural barriers, lack of access to preventive care, and lack of health insurance. People who lack access to quality health care are less likely to receive preventative care and more likely to have chronic health conditions and die prematurely.

Throughout the month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) will focus on advancing Better Health Through Better Understanding for Hispanic/Latino individuals by providing them with culturally and linguistically competent health care services, information, and resources.