Without environmental protection, Latino healthcare costs will climb

Latino healthcare costs will climb without environmental protection
The Latino Journal E-News, August 24, 2009

We hear much about "Global Warming" and "Green Energy" whenever there is a discussion regarding the environment. But somehow the discussion of local environmental impacts on Latino children continue to be minimized by focusing on a global approach rather than seeking health solutions in Latino back yards. In a study conducted by the Natural Defense Resource Council (www.nrdc.org) in 2004, they found the following:

Air Pollution
In 2004, the majority of U.S. Latinos lived in areas that failed to meet the federal government's air quality standards. The regions included: The U.S.-Mexico border region, California's Central Valley, and the cities of Chicago, New York, Phoenix, and Houston. Air pollutants that stream out of power plants, vehicles, heavy machinery, and factories can lead to an increased risk of asthma, lung cancer, allergies, and chronic bronchitis and can even contribute to premature death. Air pollution takes a particular toll on pregnant women and young children, increasing the risk of complications during pregnancy and the risk of premature birth, low birth weight, and cardiac defects in babies.

Drinking Water
Thousands of U.S. residents become ill each year from drinking water contaminated with human and animal waste, pesticides, and heavy metals such as arsenic and lead. This problem is especially prevalent along the U.S.-Mexico border, where some communities lack access to sanitary sewers, and in southern and western states, where drinking water sources are polluted with arsenic and nitrates. Although some cities have excellent tap water, several with large Latino populations-such as Albuquerque, Fresno, and San Francisco-had water that was sufficiently contaminated to pose health risks to vulnerable people. Bacteria or parasites in drinking water pose health risks of waterborne diseases, which promote health effects such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting-and some waterborne diseases such as cholera and those caused by E. coli, for example, can be fatal to humans. Arsenic, which occurs naturally in some rocks that dissolve into water supplies, is known to cause cancer of the bladder, lung, and skin and is suspected to cause cancers of the liver and kidney. Perchlorate, a component of rocket fuels and explosives, seeps into the drinking water supply, where it then exposes people to risks of diminished levels of thyroid hormone-a hormone essential for normal brain development in infants and fetuses. And nitrates found in fertilizers and human and animal feces wash into drinking water sources, where they can interfere with the blood's ability to carry oxygen to the brain and vital organs. Water quality problems that endanger Latino communities include the following: Colonias along the U.S.-Mexico border, Arizona's Maricopa County and much of Southern California.

Pesticide Exposure
Over 80 percent of U.S. farmworkers in 2004 were Latino and many wee routinely exposed to toxic pesticides through direct application or from air-drifts. In addition, pesticides settle in their drinking water, and cling to their clothes and food. The effects of exposure to some pesticides include skin rashes, burning eyes, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and difficulty breathing. Pesticide exposure may also increase the risk of certain cancers as well as miscarriages and birth defects. Children are particularly susceptible to these harmful chemicals. Its impacts include farmworkers in California were found to have a 59 to 69 percent greater risk of stomach, cervical, and uterine cancer, and of some leukemias, compared with other Hispanics in the state.

Lead Poisoning
Even though blood lead levels have decreased steadily among the U.S. population as a whole since lead was banned in gasoline and paint in the 1970s, Hispanic children in 2004 were twice as likely as non-Hispanic white children to have blood lead levels above the threshold established by the CDC for risk of lead poisoning. In Arizona in 2002, 77 percent of children diagnosed with lead poisoning were Latinos and in San Bernardino County, California, 65 percent of lead-poisoned children were Hispanic. In children, lead is known to cause neurological problems even at tiny doses. Most notably, lead has been associated with a decline in IQ and with learning disabilities, hyperactive behavior, violence, and an increase in antisocial behavior. In adults, lead has been linked to neurological problems, high blood pressure, and kidney problems. The principal source of lead exposure for children is lead-contaminated dust (from lead-based paint), and other sources like lead-glazed pottery and some imported candy. Tradition remedies have also been identified as using lead, such as greta and azarco, often used for stomachaches.

Mercury Exposure
Although mercury exposure can cause health problems for men and women of any age, women of reproductive age and children face the greatest risk. Mercury in a pregnant woman's body can affect the developing brain of the fetus while children can develop neurological and behavioral problems, and learning disabilities. The 2004 study found that on average, Latino children had higher mercury levels in their bodies compared with non-Hispanic children. Mercury is released into the air by power plants and chemical companies, falls into water, and accumulates in fish, including the canned tuna commonly bought in stores. In 2002, for the first time, Hispanics made up the largest group of WIC participants; and according to a study in New York City, canned tuna was the most popular fish among Latinos. Mercury-contaminated fish-which cannot be distinguished by taste, touch, sight, or smell-is not only purchased but also caught by recreational and subsistence anglers.

Advisories regarding exposure to these pollutants are essential and should be provided in various languages utilizing various mediums to reach the different groups. For more information about pollution, visit www.epa.gov.