A tridimensional view of the Hispanic Health Paradox: Its relationship with faith, the enclave theory, and familism

This paper examines the "Hispanic (American) Health Paradox," the juxtaposition of Hispanics’ longer lifespan than the average American amid numerous inequities regarding social determinants of health. Hispanic Americans endure multiple health disparities with a higher incidence and prevalence of chronic conditions. They also experience multiple psychosocial and physical health challenges, including higher rates of food insecurity, poverty, segregation, discrimination, and limited or no access to medical care. Nevertheless, Hispanics enjoy better physical well-being and lower mortality rates when compared to non-Hispanics in the United States (Ruiz et al., 2021). This project aims to analyze the sources of this group’s biosocial advantages and resilience, allowing them to have a longer lifespan amidst their lower health status and increased risk for chronic conditions. It explores the political and social justice implications of these inequities. It also examines the strategies to close the gap on Latinos' current health care disparities via public policy aspects of federal and state legislature. A narrative review method was utilized to examine the existing literature on this paradoxical effect. Keywords based on Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) used to search resources for relevant studies included: Hispanic health paradox (health paradox, immigrant paradox), ethnic minorities (Latinos, LatinX), health disparities (disproportionate health, health inequities), social justice (healthcare stakeholders, health inequities solutions, inequities recommendations), mental health, physical health, and co-morbidities. A quality assessment of full-text peer-reviewed articles yielded 80 articles to compile this narrative review. The research revealed that, despite glaring disparities in social determinants of health, Hispanic Americans have overall experienced better health outcomes through a culture that emphasizes spirituality, community support, and strong family ties.

Longer—but Harder—Lives?: The Hispanic Health Paradox and the Social Determinants of Racial, Ethnic, and Immigrant–Native Health Disparities from Midlife through Late Life

Though Hispanics live long lives, whether a “Hispanic paradox“ extends to older-age health remains unclear, as do the social processes underlying racial-ethnic and immigrant-native health disparities. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (2004–2012; N = 6,581), we assess the health of U.S.- and foreign-born Hispanics relative to U.S.-born whites and blacks and examine the socioeconomic, stress, and behavioral pathways contributing to health disparities. Findings indicate higher disability, depressive, metabolic, and inflammatory risk for Hispanics relative to whites and similar health profiles among Hispanics and blacks. We find limited evidence of a healthy immigrant pattern among foreign-born Hispanics. While socioeconomic factors account for Hispanic-white gaps in inflammation, disparities in other outcomes persist after adjustment for socioeconomic status, due in part to group differences in stress exposure. Hispanics may live long lives, but their lives are characterized by more socioeconomic hardship, stress, and health risk than whites and similar health risks as blacks.