Hispanic Heritage Month

September 15th – October 15th, 2014

The Origins of Hispanic Heritage Month

In September 1968, Congress authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to proclaim National Hispanic Heritage Week. The observance was expanded in 1988 to a month long celebration (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15). We celebrate the culture and traditions of U.S. residents who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico, and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

Hispanics in the United States

Hispanics have had a profound and positive influence on our country through their strong commitment to family, faith, hard work, and service. They have enhanced and shaped our national character with centuries-old tradition that reflect the multiethnic and multicultural customs of their community

According to this U.S.Census Bureau population estimates as of July 2012, there are roughly 53 million people or 16% of the population Hispanics living in the United States, representing approximately 16.7% of the U.S. total population, making people of Hispanic origin the nations largest ethnic or race minority. The projected U.S. Hispanic population for July 1, 2050 is estimated to reach 132.8 million, constituting approximately 30% of the U.S. population by that date.

Hispanics and Health Disparities

Hispanics in the United States experience a variety of health disparities in comparison to other racial and ethnic groups. These disparities, identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Health Disparities & Inequalities Report - United States, 2011 (CHDIR), range from inequality in income and education, to higher uninsured rates, to higher prevalence of obesity, to higher prevalence of HIV diagnoses and other issues. In terms of vaccinations and vaccine preventable disease disparities, Hispanics in the United States:

• Had lower influenza vaccination coverage, compared with non-Hispanic whites, among all persons aged > 6 months during the 2009-10 influenza season (CHDIR),
• Have lower pneumoccocal vaccination rates among older age groups,
• Have a higher incidence of pertussis among those under one year of age (PDF); this trend can be seen in the pertussis outbreaks in Washington State, where statewide cumulative incidence of pertussis was almost twice as high in Hispanics than non-Hispanics (53.1 versus 24.6 cases per 100,000 population).

Learn more about health disparities among Hispanics.

Find information on vaccines in Spanish!