Reports show health problems faced by immigrant populations in NE, IA

The University of Nebraska at Omaha’s (UNO) Office of Latino and Latin American Studies(OLLAS), together with the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), have released a report and policy brief describing the serious health problems facing the growing Latino and immigrant populations in Nebraska and Iowa, particularly the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area.

The Health Profile Report focuses on the overall health disparities facing the Latino population, which grew by nearly 93 percent between 2000 and 2010 in Nebraska. Thepolicy brief presents evidence for major barriers to access medical care for Latinos and immigrants and the potential impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to improve health insurance coverage. The brief also outlines some potential solutions.

The research comes on the heels of another report issued by OLLAS in December about the economic impact of immigrants in Nebraska and Iowa. Both documents are provided in English and Spanish and can be accessed at the OLLAS website at  www.unomaha.edu/ollas.