By Dr. Ifeoma I. Nnaji and Akim Waldron
Why is the Hispanic Heritage Month celebrated each year from September 15 to October 15?
Have you ever wondered why Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15 rather than during a single calendar month? I know I have. The timing of this celebration is deliberate: September 15 marks the independence anniversaries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, with Mexico and Chile following closely on September 16 and 18 (Allen, 2013). The 2025 theme, “Collective Heritage: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future,” emphasizes that heritage is not only something we inherit but also something we shape for generations to come (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023). The significance of this observance is amplified by the size and influence of the Latino population today. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2023), Latinos represent 18.9% of the total U.S. population, making them the nation’s largest racial or ethnic minority group—more than 60 million people. This growing community continues to enrich American society through leadership, cultural contributions, and resilience, embodying the very spirit that Hispanic Heritage Month seeks to honor.
Healthcare and the Latino Population
Latinos represent one of the fastest growing and most influential populations in the United States, yet they continue to face significant disparities in healthcare access and outcomes. According to Zong (2022), the Latino population is projected to reach 111 million by 2060, making up nearly 28% of the nation’s population. Despite this rapid growth, 19.9% of Hispanics remain uninsured, compared with just 7.6% of non-Hispanic Whites (Hill et al., 2025). This gap in insurance coverage has direct implications for healthcare access, affordability, and overall health outcomes. Research consistently shows that Hispanics are less likely to use formal health services and preventive care compared to other groups, which contributes to higher rates of untreated chronic conditions, delayed diagnoses, and avoidable hospitalizations (Velasco-Mondragon et al., 2016). For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that Hispanic adults are 50% more likely to die from diabetes and 23% more likely to be obese compared to non-Hispanic Whites. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health (2023) highlights the critical role of social determinants of health (SDOH) in shaping outcomes for Hispanic populations. Factors such as language barriers, immigration status, cultural perceptions of illness, socioeconomic disparities, and geographic barriers to care all limit access to quality services. These inequities result in lower rates of preventive care utilization and higher rates of avoidable health complications.
Strategies for Engaging & Reaching the Hispanic Community
Cultural competency in healthcare: Cultural competence has long been recognized as a critical approach to reducing disparities in access and utilization of healthcare services (Betancourt et al., 2003). To be culturally competent, providers must intentionally learn about their patients’ cultural backgrounds—including language, values, traditions, and health beliefs—while adapting care to align with those perspectives. For example, some Hispanic patients may rely on traditional healing practices, and acknowledging these beliefs respectfully can strengthen patient-provider trust (Cutshall, 2024). Healthcare organizations can institutionalize cultural competence by offering workforce training programs, such as the Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) standards which has shown to improve communication, patient satisfaction, and treatment adherence (Bhui et al., 2007). Implementing and adopting policies on cultural sensitivity can act as a step towards creating a culturally sensitive healthcare system that promotes inclusivity.
Rapport Building by Leveraging Trusted Social Networks: Trust is the foundation of effective healthcare outreach in Hispanic communities. Studies has shown that Latinos are more likely to engage with health initiatives when information is delivered through trusted networks, such as churches, community health workers and local leaders (Ruiz-Sánchez et al., 2021). For example, “promotores “programs have successfully increased diabetes screening rates by tailoring health messages in culturally relevant ways (Attridge et al., 2014). Thus, creating social networks and collaborating with community leaders, community health workers, bilingual public health professionals, church leaders, and those recognized as pillars within the Hispanic community demonstrates to the community that the healthcare system is committed to building trust and credibility within the community.
Partnership with Community Stakeholders: Healthcare organizations cannot accurately identify community needs from a distance. Conducting community needs assessments is vital. Effective approaches include partnering with Hispanic churches, hosting focus groups at community health centers, leveraging health windows, and participating in cultural events such as health fairs (Gaitán-Rossi et al., 2023). For instance, a church-based diabetes education program in Latino congregations partnered public health educators to deliver self-management sessions entirely in Spanish. By integrating culturally relevant, faith-based messaging, the program-built trust and encouraged participation. As a result, participants reported better blood glucose control, higher levels of diabetes knowledge, and increased engagement with preventive care services (Derose & Rodriguez, 2019). These approaches highlight the importance of meeting Hispanic communities where they are, respecting cultural values, and aligning health initiatives with local priorities rather than imposing external agendas.
Program Utilization & Outcome Tracking: Launching programs without measuring their effectiveness risks wasting resources. Systematic tracking of program utilization and outcomes allows providers to pinpoint barriers such as low preventive screening rates, gaps in chronic disease management, or underuse of primary care. For instance, Hispanic adults are less likely than non-Hispanic Whites to receive routine cancer screenings, contributing to later-stage diagnoses (McDowell, 2024). Additionally, the incidence of kidney failure requiring dialysis or transplantation among Hispanic patients is particularly high. Although there was a 33% reduction in diabetes-related kidney failure in Hispanic patients in the U.S. from 2000 to 2016, rates in 2016 remained at least 2-fold higher than in non-Hispanic White patients (Rosas et al., 2023). By monitoring service uptake, organizations can quickly adapt strategies—such as sending bilingual appointment reminders, extending evening clinic hours to accommodate working families, or targeting outreach. Beyond informing providers, outcome data equips policymakers with evidence to prioritize funding for interventions that demonstrate measurable reductions in disparities.
Developing a Cultural Understanding of Barriers: To effectively serve the Hispanic population, healthcare systems must address cultural and structural barriers. According to Hall et al. (2022), Limited English proficiency (LEP) affects nearly 30% of Hispanic adults (Pew Research Center, 2022), reducing comfort navigating healthcare, understanding medical instructions, and accessing preventive services. This language barrier is closely linked to employability, income, and participation in the healthcare system, creating cascading effects on health equity (Hall et al., 2022). Furthermore, the underrepresentation of Latinos in healthcare leadership results in policies and programs that do not fully address community needs. Increasing Hispanic representation among providers and administrators, alongside expanding bilingual health education, has been shown to enhance patient trust, improve communication, and increase adherence to treatment (Quiroz et al., 2024). Thus, creating a system that is more responsive, inclusive, and effective for every patient population.
Healthcare Disparities in the Hispanic Community and Societal Impact
For a long time, the Hispanic community has faced healthcare disparities such as limited access to preventive care, language barriers, and underrepresentation in medical leadership. If these disparities are not addressed, they can end up impacting society at large. Here are some of the societal impacts:
- Declined Public Health Outcomes: When Hispanic communities do not receive equitable care, rates of chronic illness, maternal mortality, and preventable diseases increase, thus increasing the burden on the entire healthcare system.
- Weakened Economic Strength: An unhealthy community means more missed workdays, higher healthcare costs, and lowered productivity, leading to a decline in economic growth and instability.
- Social Conflict and Disintegration: Lack of health equity fosters distrust, lack of unity, lack of shared responsibility, and weakens the social fabric of our nation.
Hispanic Heritage Month Spotlight: Helen Rodríguez-Trías
Advocate for Women and Children’s Health
Helen Rodríguez-Trías was a pioneering public health advocate whose work transformed healthcare access for women and children, particularly within Latino communities. Throughout her career, she fought tirelessly to increase access to reproductive healthcare and advocated for the abolishment of forced sterilization, a practice that disproportionately affected women of color (Wilcox, 2002). Breaking barriers in public health leadership, Rodríguez-Trías became the first Latina president of the American Public Health Association, a role in which she championed equity, social justice, and community-based health initiatives (Wilcox, 2002). Her dedication extended beyond policy: she emphasized the importance of culturally sensitive care, community empowerment, and advocacy to address systemic health disparities. Rodríguez-Trías’ legacy continues to inspire healthcare professionals and public health advocates, reminding us that equitable access, cultural understanding, and patient advocacy are essential to improving health outcomes for marginalized communities.
As we mark Hispanic Heritage Month this October, let us both celebrate and act. To honor the past is to remember the struggles and contributions that shaped the nation; to inspire the future is to ensure that equity in education, health, and economic opportunity becomes reality for all. Together, our collective heritage is not just what we inherit — it is what we build. By addressing healthcare disparities in the Hispanic community, we lay the foundation for a healthier and more equitable society.
