WHO:           Governor Jon Corzine

                   U. S. Senator Robert Menendez

Hon. Heather Howard, Commissioner, NJ Department of Health and Senior Services

Hon. Bob Franks, President, HealthCare Institute of NJ

Martin Perez, NJ Latino Leadership Alliance

Keynote Speaker:  Dr. Richard Carmona, 17^th Surgeon general of the United Stares (Available for Interviews)

 

WHAT:         The Latino Diabetes Summit is a one day conference that will address the increasing prevalence of diabetes among the state’s Latino community.

 

WHEN:         Wednesday, March 19 at 8:00 a.m.

 

WHERE:        Busch Campus Center

                   Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

                   604 Bartholomew Road

                   Piscataway, NJ  08854

                   732-445-3962 Campus Operations Office (directions)

 

Background:  Diabetes is one of the fastest growing health issues facing the state.  Research of the healthcare needs of the Latino community indicates that a startling two million (approximately 10.2% of all Latinos in the United States aged 20 years or older) already have diabetes.  Mortality rates for diabetes in New Jersey have decreased among whites and Asian/Pacific Islanders, yet they are increasing among blacks and Hispanics, with Hispanics nearly 1.4 times more likely to die from diabetes than the white population.  Diabetes also has an earlier onset in Latinos than in other populations.

 

The significant increase in the state’s Hispanic population has also brought a focus on the barriers Latinos face, particularly in language, access to health insurance and health care services.

 

The Summit, the first in the state, is a collaboration of the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey (HINJ), the Latino Leadership Alliance (LLA NJ) and the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Servicers (DHSS.)