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LRH honors Hispanic Heritage Month, a special time to recognize and celebrate the vibrant history,cultures, and invaluable contributions of Hispanic and Latinx communities in the U.S.

History and Meaning

Since 1968, Americans all over the nation have observed National Hispanic Heritage Month by celebrating the vast histories, cultures and contributions of Americans whose ancestors come from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The celebration expanded in 1988 to cover a 30-day period, Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, the dates commemorate the anniversary of the independence for several Latin American countries.

Facts to Know

Hispanic vs. Latino: They are not the same!

“Hispanic” refers to people who speak Spanish and/or are descended from Spanish-speaking populations. It is not the same for “Latino” (or Latina or Latinx), which refers to people who are from or descended from people from Latin America.

Total Population

The U.S. Hispanic population reached 62.5 million in 2021, up from 50.5 million in 2010.

Spanish Speakers

Roughly 13% of all people 5 years and over speak Spanish in the United States.

While Hispanic and Latino people may have different histories and cultures, many are united through their shared language of Spanish. In 2021, Forbes stated that more than 559 million people speak Spanish around the world. Out of that number, 460 million people are native speakers, making it the second largest population of native speakers behind Mandarin.

 

¡A la Buena Salud! – To Good Health!

  • Health risk can vary by Hispanic subgroup—for example, 66% more Puerto Ricans smoke than Mexicans.
  • Hispanics are as likely as whites to have high blood pressure. But Hispanic women with high blood pressure are twice as likely as Hispanic men to get it under control.
  • Heart disease and cancer in Hispanics are the two leading causes of death, accounting for about 2 of 5 deaths, which is about the same for whites.

Doctors and other healthcare professionals can:

  • Work with interpreters to eliminate language barriers, when patient prefers to speak Spanish.
  • Counsel patients on weight control and diet if they have or are at high risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, or cancer.
  • Ask patients if they smoke and if they do, help them quit.
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