Hispanic elders in Texas: implications for health care

Hispanic elders are a large, rapidly growing subgroup of the Hispanic population in Texas. This population continues to suffer from a high incidence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, with similar or lower rates of cardiovascular disease than non-Hispanic whites have. Barriers that may modify potentially effective diagnostic or appropriate treatment plans include communication problems, access issues, and use of informal health-care services. Knowledge and attention to these issues may improve compliance and decrease morbidity of this cohort. This article summarizes important information affecting the health of Hispanic elders in Texas and alerts practitioners to issues that may affect the care of their older Hispanic patients.