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A new study hoped to learn more from the data about the health risks, such as smoking, on cancer diagnoses in the Latino community. More than 16,000 Latinos participated in the study, and 4% reported instances of some type of cancer.
Cancer has surpassed heart disease as the leading cause of death among Latinos, yet researchers still know little about how specific risk factors affect Latinos across ancestry groups.
The researchers, part of the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, did not find a significant relationship between smoking and cancer prevalence among Latinos. However, it is the belief of the researchers that the lack of a connection can be due to the “cross-sectional nature” of the study. The authors believe that more research is needed to determine the risk factors among various Latino ancestry groups.
According to the findings, Mexicans have the lowest cancer incidences among the ancestry groups surveyed. Puerto Ricans consistently showed the highest rates, especially in cervical, liver, and stomach cancers.
Due in large part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), gathering data for such surveys will become easier to gather, collect, and analyze.
By The Numbers
25.1
percent
of Latinos remain without health insurance coverage
