By Cliff Despres
Where you live determines how healthy you are.
Sadly, U.S. Latinos face unaffordable housing, unreliable public transportation and a lack of green space, which contributes to health inequities, according to a new research review from Salud America!, a national network for health equity at UT Health San Antonio.
Salud America!’s The State of Latinos and Housing, Transportation, and Green Space examines the latest available science on Latino access to affordable housing, public transit and parks. The review also highlights strategies and policies to improve neighborhood health equity, where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to achieve the best health possible.
“Across the United States, Latinos often lack access to affordable housing, safe and reliable transit, and parks and green space that are necessary to fully thrive and achieve health equity,” said Amelie G. Ramirez, Dr.P.H., lead author of the research review and director of Salud America! and the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio.
“It is more critical to address these underlying social, economic and environmental factors that contribute to health than to address the health disparities directly if we are to hope for long-term changes in Latino health and well-being.”