COVID-19 has affected the health, job safety and financial security of Hispanic Americans. Hispanic people are almost 2.5 times as likely to die from COVID-19 than white/non-Hispanic people, when age is taken into account. This disproportionate impact of the pandemic is shedding a new national light on the alarmingly low COVID-19 vaccination rate remaining within the Hispanic community. As a champion for health equity, the American Heart Association, the leading global voluntary health organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke for all, has launched a new public awareness campaign to empower and inform the community about the importance of getting the COVID-19 vaccine in a way that is relevant to Latino culture and language. According to a journal from the Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society, the lack of accurate Spanish-language resources about COVID-19 vaccinations has contributed to a prevalence of misinformation, adversely impacting communities of color at a greater rate.
“COVID-19 vaccine misinformation continues to be widespread among the Hispanic community, but studies have shown the vaccines are safe and effective for all adults. That includes people with existing medical conditions like heart disease as well as for people of color, all of whom were part of the large participant groups in the vigorous scientific research conducted to test the vaccines,” said Eduardo Sanchez, M.D., M.P.H., FAAFP, Chief Medical Officer for Prevention at the American Heart Association. “Stay Fuerte for All” is a life-saving message, presented in a culturally appropriate way.”
The “Stay Fuerte for All” initiative will become a permanent part of the Association’s continuing efforts to raise lifesaving awareness within vulnerable communities. It is also designed to both equip and inspire community change agents to support efforts to reduce health disparities within the Latino community and help overcome barriers to some of the challenges they face, such as limited access to healthcare. Many Latino people are at an increased risk for serious health complications – including a heart attack – due to the added stress caused by health, social and economic factors.
To read the entire article, make sure to visit the American Heart Association's Newsroom and if you wish to learn more about the Stay Fuerte for All campaign, make sure to check out the American Heart Association's Empowered to Serve page.