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Hispanic and Latino Americans

  • In the United States, 18.9% of the population (62.9 million people) identified themselves as Hispanic or Latino in 2021. Thirteen states had a population of one million or more Hispanic residents— Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington
  • People of Mexican origin made up almost 62% of the country's overall Hispanic population, followed by people of Puerto Rican origin
  • The poverty rate of Hispanic and Latino Americans is nearly two times higher (17%) than non-Hispanic White Americans (9.5%)
  • Nearly 18% of Hispanic or Latino Americans were not covered by health insurance in 2021, compared with about 6% of non-Hispanic White Americans

Behavioral Health Concerns

According to the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH):

  • Nearly 22% of Hispanic and Latino Americans reported having a mental illness, compared to 23.9% of non-Hispanic Whites
  • Only 36% of Hispanic and Latino Americans received mental health services compared to non-Hispanic Whites (52%)
  • Past year substance use disorder among Hispanic and Latino Americans was 15.7%, reported rates of illicit drug use was 19.4%, and unmet treatment needs 15%

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among Hispanic and Latino Americans 10 to 24 years old, and men 25-34.

Hispanic and Latino Americans experience barriers to behavioral health services and care including:

  • Experiences of racism and discrimination stemming from structural and systemic factors
  • Mental Health stigma which hinders Hispanic and Latino Americans from seeking help
  • Language access issues, and negative encounters with care providers
  • Provider shortage due to the lack of providers from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds
  • Lack of culturally competent resources and providers to meet cultural, social, and language-related needs

National Hispanic and Latino Addiction Technology Transfer Center

International multidisciplinary resource for professionals in the addictions treatment and recovery services field.

National Hispanic and Latino Prevention Technology Transfer Center

Providing training and technical assistance services to the substance misuse prevention field.

National Hispanic and Latino Mental Health Technology Transfer Center

Disseminating and implementing evidence-based practices and promising practices for mental disorders into the field.

Last Updated: 05/25/2023