Latino/as experience significant health disparities in America . Based on data gathered in California and Pennsylvania, we know that Latino/a access to healthcare is hindered by lack of insurance coverage, limited English proficiency, limited provider Spanish proficiency, and discrimination.

U. S. Census data from 2000 reveals that there are 199,410 Latinos and 192,711 Latinas in Pennsylvania:  Half of all Latinas are between 15-44 years of age. Just over half (52%) of all Latinos are between 15-44 years of age. Census data also reveals that of the 177,099 households where Spanish is spoken, 28,057 of these report living in linguistic isolation–that is, no household member over the age of five reports being able to speak English well.

According to the 1999 Special Report on Minority Health released by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Pennsylvania Latino/as experience many disparities, in terms of both socio-economic and health status indicators. For example, Pennsylvania Latinos are three times more likely than whites to live in poverty; only 59.8% of Latinos complete high school as compared to 86.1% of whites; Latino infant mortality rate is 1.5 times that of whites; 31.5% of Hispanic youth in middle school were considered susceptible to beginning tobacco use compared to 27.1% of white students. Many more examples are available.