Latinos in the United States suffer disproportionately from sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV and cervical cancer. They are also least likely to be insured, making it difficult to get the sexual and reproductive health they need.
The Planned Parenthood Latino Outreach Initiative is an expanded effort to improve sexual and reproductive health among Latinos — by increasing general awareness in the community, increasing familiarity of and access to Planned Parenthood health services, and mobilizing Latinos to advocate for progressive sexual and reproductive health care policies that affect them.
Success Story
Outreach efforts are already starting to show results in some areas, particularly in Las Vegas, Nevada’s 11th Assembly District. This district is represented by State Assemblyman Ruben Kihuen, and more than 60 percent of the population is Latino.
When invited for a tour of Planned Parenthood health centers in the area, Assemblyman Kihuen learned that Nevada has the one of the nation’s highest rate of teen births, and that 51 percent of these teen births are to Latinas. Mr. Kihuen wrote a letter to Planned Parenthood expressing his support and desire to cooperate in engaging the Latino population in increased efforts to reduce the teen pregnancy rate through education. In his letter, Mr. Kihuen said, “Meeting with your local staff helped educate me on the vast services Planned Parenthood provides, and learn about your plans to reach the Latino community through a bi-lingual and bi-cultural message.”
This is a success story that can be replicated across the country as we work to reduce the rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections and increase access to medically accurate sex education.
