Special Populations-Hispanic Communities
Whereas Hispanic
communities in Wisconsin have higher vaccination rates than their Black
counterparts, they have lower vaccination rates than other ethnicities across
the state; they also have the highest case rates [
1]. Further, merely one-third of Hispanics
in the United States have health insurance; of which is the lowest among any
racial or ethnic demographic [
2]. Hispanics have suffered
great economic impacts as a result of the pandemic, as more than half of
Hispanic adults lost a job or income as of December 2020 [
3].
Moreover, Hispanic workers overwhelmingly staff essential service occupations,
have fewer opportunities for remote work, and have higher poverty rates than
non-Hispanic whites [
4] putting them at greater risk
for infection. Hispanic communities also struggle with other barriers to
vaccination including, but not limited to, socioeconomic disadvantages,
language barriers, limited technology access to schedule appointments, and
minimal availability towards transportation services [
5].
Source: Wisconsin COVID-19 Hospitalization Rates by Race and Ethnicity
Wisconsin Department of Health Services. (2022, April 14). COVID-19: Racial and ethnic disparities. Retrieved May 2, 2022, from https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/disparities.htm#disparities
Sources:
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services. (2022, April 14). COVID-19: Racial and ethnic disparities. Retrieved May 2, 2022, from https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/disparities.htm#disparities
- Sohn, H. (2016). Racial and ethnic disparities in health insurance coverage: dynamics of gaining and losing coverage over the life-course. Population Research and Policy Review, 36, 181-201. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007%2Fs11113-016-9416-y
- Kearney, A., Lopes, L., Brodie, M. (2021, January 14). Vaccine hesitancy among Hispanic adults. Kaiser Family Foundation. https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/poll-finding/vaccine-hesitancy-among-hispanic-adults/
- Macias Gil, R., Marcelin, J.R., Zuniga-Blanco, B., Marquez, C., Mathew, T., & Piggott, D.A. (2020). COVID-19 pandemic: disparate health impact on the Hispanic/Latinx population in the United States. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 222(10), 1592-1595. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiaa474
- Juarez, V. (2021, March 29). Latinos across Northeast Wisconsin face challenges in understanding how to get vaccinated. NBC26. https://www.nbc26.com/news/local-news/latinos-across-northeast-wisconsin-face-challenges-in-understanding-how-to-get-vaccinated
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