Dr. Liliana Rojas-Guyler

Dr. Rojas-Guyler spoke to us about the health disparities of Latina women in comparison to other cultural groups in the U.S. and it was troubling to find that although many may immigrate to the U.S. as healthy individuals, things soon change once they get here.  It was startling to understand that it only takes five years before they are one an a half times more likely to have high blood pressure, suffer from stroke, develop diabetes, or suffer from obesity than other cultures.  She spoke about the lack of affordable health care among some Latinos which many of us are provided through our employers.  She shared with us that the lack of Latino health care providers was also a growing problem in Ohio.  It was also brought up that for those Latinas who did make it to the doctor due to chronic health concerns were more likely to have a disease diagnosis at a later stage and might, therefore, die from it.  Her talk ended with race and color, specifically.  She talked about how the color of one's skin could possibly result in a loss of citizenship, as it did in the case of Japanese citizens who were forced into internment camps during war times and how she feared that might happen again.  At any rate, her overall presentation brought eye opening information.