Los Angeles County Latinos Receive a ‘C’ Grade in Health, Study Finds
Latinos in Los Angeles County received a grade of "C" for health, according to a United Way of Greater Los Angeles study released on Thursday, the Los Angeles Times reports. For the study, "Latino Scorecard 2003 -- Grading the American Dream," university professors and other experts gave letter grades in education, economic development, housing, public safety and health -- five "key" areas for Los Angeles County Latinos, the Times reports. The study says that local Latinos have a longer average life expectancy -- 82.5 years -- than non-Latinos but adds that 38% of local Latinos lack health insurance and that Latinos were more likely than other ethnic groups to be obese and not get enough exercise. The study also notes that the county needs an additional 10,800 Spanish-speaking physicians; only 38 Latinos were enrolled in county medical schools in 2002. UWGLA President Joe Haggerty said that "he hoped the study would help policymakers and Latinos set priorities for the coming decade," the Times reports (Fausset, Los Angeles Times, 10/31). The study is available online. Note: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the report.
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