As President and CEO of the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA), Dr. Yanira Cruz is leading the charge in closing health disparities affecting the Hispanic and Latina communities. AWHP spoke with Dr. Cruz spoke about what it means to her to be an advocate for Hispanic and Latina communities, how healthcare providers can best engage these communities, and the importance of caregivers’ wellbeing.
In 2023, Dr. Cruz published her book, A Leader’s Perspective, a compilation of stories from courageous women leaders who faced and overcame barriers and stereotypes imposed by society.
AWHP: What does being an advocate for Hispanic and Latina communities mean to you personally?
Dr. Cruz: Being the voice for the voiceless is important. When I think of advocacy, it is speaking on behalf of those who can’t speak for whatever reason, or who don’t have access to spaces or tables or platforms where they can make their voices heard. I also believe in the idea that for those to whom much is given, much is expected. I believe it’s my responsibility to use my voice, experience, and knowledge for the common good and for the good of my community.
AWHP: Several chronic diseases, including breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, disproportionately impact Hispanic and Latina women. What steps are needed to close persistent disparities?
Dr. Cruz: To address some of these inequities in the chronic illness space, we need to empower communities and consumers by keeping them abreast on factual, science-based information, not information that is misleading, incorrect, or not based in science. We should be educating folks in ways that are culturally and linguistically competent so that people can easily understand and access information.
The other side of the solution is that of impacting the system and addressing systemic barriers that are getting in the way of effectively dealing with chronic illnesses. This involves eliminating barriers that are keeping us from accessing healthcare or from accessing certain medications to treat our illnesses. We have the typical example of obesity where over one out of four Latinas have obesity in this country, and not everyone has access to the full spectrum of options to manage obesity. Nutrition, exercise, anti-obesity medications, and bariatric surgery are all options to manage obesity, but not everyone has access to all of those options. Options should be available to everyone.
AWHP: What interventions and communication strategies do you suggest healthcare providers embrace to ensure Hispanic and Latina communities receive preventive care that is evidence-based and culturally competent?
Dr. Cruz: We are a very insular community. Our support systems are what has kept us alive and thriving all of these years. It’s through community-based organizations, churches, and grassroots leaders that we thrive and move forward. We must keep those trusted agents abreast and engaged so that they are saying the same things that the healthcare providers are saying.
For example, we can tap into Promotores de Salud, who are health educators trusted in our community. Whenever we do trainings at the National Hispanic Council on Aging, I always make sure we’re inviting promotores because they are trusted in the community, and if we pull in two promotores, they will bring ten people with them, and that’s just how the community dynamic plays out. It’s very much rooted in community and in trusted community leaders.
AWHP: Can you discuss the importance of family caregivers in Hispanic and Latina communities? What are some resources for them as they assume these responsibilities?
Dr. Cruz: We need to continue to pay more attention to caregiving because every 20 seconds in the United States, someone turns 65. That will be true for the next 20 years, which means that the need for caregiving will only increase. We typically jump quickly to care for our loved ones and leave ourselves for last. We caregivers must make sure that we’re doing self-care so that we can be in good shape to care for others. Caregivers can’t forget to check on themselves and give themselves some respite.
Often, we don’t self-identify as caregivers. We think that we are the daughter, the son, the sister; we are the family members who are just there to care for our loved ones without recognizing that we are a caregiver. We fail to ask for help because we think, “oh, well, that resource is for caregivers, but I am not a caregiver, I am just a sister, son, or daughter.” We fail to ask for help, and in this process of caregiving, we have to get help because we can’t do it alone. Otherwise, we get burned out.
AWHP: Is there anything we didn’t ask you, but that you would just want to leave with us?
Dr. Cruz: The importance of women in our community is something to highlight. I think women are important channels of information. They are important decision makers in our families and in our communities. Many families are driven by matriarchs, including my own. Females in my family have for the last several generations been the movers and shakers, and I think that’s true for many Latinos. As public health practitioners, we need to pay attention to that. Empower women. Support women. Make sure that they have the necessary support to continue to lead their families and communities and their lives in the right direction.