Since 2012, within the U.S. Mexican Americans make up about 11% of the population, totaling 33.7 million. The age range among this group is very broad but the median age of Mexican Americans is 17, compared to 25 for Native Mexicans …show more content…
Due to foods being high in sugar and fat content, 11.9% of the population is diabetic. Diabetes is one of the top health risks among this group (Ohio State University, 2010). Other health risks include cardiovascular disease and obesity, also due to meal preparation. For mental health, “Early memory issues known as mild cognitive impairment (MCI), commonly seen among Mexican Americans, may predispose them to Alzheimer’s disease almost a decade sooner than non-Hispanics.” (Gillette, 2014). Since Mexican Americans are more prone to cognitive impairment than non-Hispanics, medical experts can screen for early signs before things progress too far to treat or find new treatment …show more content…
When a family member is dying and unable to care for them self, other family members will care for them. The Mexican American culture does not usually believe in placing family members in nursing homes or senior communities. In traditional Mexican American families, the majority of care provided for a dying family member is done by female relatives who are not likely to ask for outside help to deal with the stress of looking after someone who is near death. Since most Mexican Americans are Catholic, the Church explains that the soul is everlasting and continues on after the physical body has died. So, they believe once a family member has died, their spirit still lives on (Redmond, J.,