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| Format: | Recurso educativo Open Access |
| Language: | en |
| Published: |
2007
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ786574 |
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Table of Contents:
- Latinas in Need Dempsey, Beth At Risk Persons Suicide Adolescents Users (Information) Hispanic Americans Stress Variables Stress Management Library Services Outreach Programs In the summer of 2006, the New York City-based Spanish-language newspaper "La Prensa" ran a series of articles on the surprisingly stressful life of the young Latina in America. The series brought to light grim statistics uncovered in the academic community that had largely escaped the mainstream. Namely, young Latinas--ages 12-17--are more likely to attempt suicide than any other ethnic group. While "La Prensa," and later the "New York Times" and others, cited a federal study that showed one in six Latinas had attempted suicide--one and a half times the rate of their non-Hispanic counterparts--other research, including a study from Fordham University, put the figure at 20 percent. Still other statistics point to young Latinas being at greater risk for lives of struggle. According to the Centers for Disease Control, Latinas are at disproportionate risk for HIV/AIDS, and within the Hispanic community, the rate among women is growing. This is further complicated by limited access to health care--Latino/as are less likely to be covered by health insurance than either African Americans or whites. These findings provide a wake-up call to librarians about the complex needs of this largely misunderstood and conflicted group. Here, the author calls on adult and youth services to work together to help and address the needs of this at-risk population.