Genome Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues Section 

DOE Human Genome Program Contractor-Grantee Workshop VII 
January 12-16, 1999  Oakland, CA
    184. Hispanic Role Model and Science Education Outreach Project: Human Genome Project Education & Outreach Component 
     
    Clay Dillingham 
    Institute of Genetics Education, 1611 Don Gaspar Ave. Santa Fe, NM 87505; the Self-Reliance Foundation; and the Hispanic Radio Network, 518 C St. NE, Washington, DC 20002 
    cd@ncgr.org 
     
    Currently, Hispanics make up between 11-15 percent of the U.S. population; about 30 million people. Hispanics are also the fastest growing minority in the U.S. The dominant language of 64 percent of all Hispanics living in the United States is Spanish. Furthermore, Hispanics feel discriminated against by the U.S. health care system. According to the American Journal of Health Promotion (Vol.9, No. 4 1994/95): 
    • 78.3 % of Hispanics report they are most comfortable speaking Spanish at home 
    • 27% believe they face discrimination in the quality of health care to which they have access
    • 30% believe they are not treated with respect at clinics
    • 28% believe they do not have the same opportunities as others in obtaining health care information
    Hispanics are Outside the Mainstream of Information about Health, Science, the Human Genome Project (HGP), and its Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI)  
     
    Hispanics are largely "out of the loop" of the public health information mainstream because of the substantial linguistic preferences of Hispanic residents. For example, disseminating information related to the rapid advances in health and science technology, like the HGP-ELSI, and information about how and where to access health care services, may not be targeted to or successfully reach Spanish speaking residents. 
     
    This DOE-funded project is currently completing its second year of providing Spanish radio programming and outreach services that focus on the HGP and its scientific, medical ELSI implications. The purpose of this project is to help inform the Spanish-speaking population in the U.S. about the HGP and its ELSI implications, and motivate them to access the resources available for further education and information on these issues. 
 
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