According to the Pew Research Center, Latinos are the largest minority group and one of the fastest growing in the United States. Around 57 million people of Latino-origin currently reside in the United States, representing 17.6% of the total population. Despite being the largest minority population, lack of access to health care and health insurance remain prominent issues for this population, making them one of the most vulnerable groups in the United States in terms of health care. This is mainly due to a series of factors which include having a low socio-economic status, and in some cases, being undocumented. [1]
Although the Latino population continues to increase, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention concludes that Latinos continue to have the highest uninsured rate among any racial or ethnic group within the United States. In 2016, 18.9% of the adult Latino population under age 65 were not covered by health insurance, as compared to 7.4% of the adult non-Latino White population.[2]Notably, with the visible disparity between Latinos and non-Latino whites in insurance rates and sources of coverage, more Latinos seek medical care from community clinics, government clinics, or community hospitals, than the non-Latino White population (34.8% vs 14.5%, respectively). [3]
In Orange County, Latinos comprise approximately 30.5% of the total population (2016). Survey results from the 2020 Census, accounting for the influx of Puerto Ricans as a result of Hurricane Maria, are expected to show an even greater increase of Hispanic residents.