Latino populations: a unique opportunity for the study of race, genetics, and social environment in epidemiological research

Am J Public Health. 2005 Dec;95(12):2161-8. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2005.068668. Epub 2005 Oct 27.

Abstract

Latinos are the largest minority population in the United States. Although usually classified as a single ethnic group by researchers, Latinos are heterogeneous from cultural, socioeconomic, and genetic perspectives. From a cultural and social perspective, Latinos represent a wide variety of national origins and ethnic and cultural groups, with a full spectrum of social class. From a genetic perspective, Latinos are descended from indigenous American, European, and African populations. We review the historical events that led to the formation of contemporary Latino populations and use results from recent genetic and clinical studies to illustrate the unique opportunity Latino groups offer for studying the interaction between racial, genetic, and environmental contributions to disease occurrence and drug response.

Publication types

  • Historical Article
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Asthma / epidemiology
  • Emigration and Immigration
  • Epidemiologic Studies*
  • Hispanic or Latino / genetics*
  • Hispanic or Latino / history
  • History, 16th Century
  • History, 17th Century
  • Humans
  • Latin America / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Neoplasms / mortality
  • Pedigree
  • Regression Analysis
  • Social Environment*
  • United States / epidemiology