Citation
Handa, Sudhanshu (2007). Indigenous Health in Mexico.. Giuffrida, Antonio (Ed.) (pp. 65-92). Washington: Inter-American Development Bank. Social Protection and Health Division. Country Department Andean Group.Abstract
Indigenous populations in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) represent around 8% of the total population and the Afro-descendants more than a quarter of the region’s citizens. The health of populations in the region has improved markedly over time. Average life expectancy at birth has increased from 68.8 in 1995 to 72.5 years in 2006(PAHO, 2007) and the control of many serious diseases and the elimination of some have been observed. Yet, Indigenous and Afro-descendant groups in LAC continue to experience dramatically differences in health status and access to health services. An increasing number of studies have shown multiple differences between racial and ethnic groups in the pattern of diseases, health status, access to and use of health services (Montenegro and Stephens, 2006).