Latino Health program launched in Fort Collins

Project to Focus on Latinos' Health
Fort Collins Now

A new project from the Larimer County Health Department is Vida Sana, a program that will gather information and use it to identify solutions related to chronic disease disparities among Latinos in the county.

Latinos make up 9 percent of Larimer’s population.

Vida Sana is gathering information through interviews, town hall meetings and community forums.

The first town hall session is from 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12 at the Northside Aztlan Community Center, 112 Willow St. There will be child care and food.

“Current information about the biologic and genetic characteristics of minority populations does not explain the health disparities experienced by these groups compared with the white, non-Hispanic population in the United States,” reports the Centers for Disease Control. “These disparities are believed to be the result of the complex interaction among genetic variations, environmental factors and specific health behaviors.”

An example of a chronic disease disparity is that the death rate of diabetes is twice as high among Latinos in Colorado at 37.5 per 100,000 compared to the state average of 18.3 per 100,000, according to a press release. Nationally, the CDC finds that Latinos have higher rates of high blood pressure and obesity than non-Latino whites.

For more information on Vida Sana, call Summer Laws at 498-6853 or email slaws@larimer.org.