2023 CHAS: Hispanic or Latino Identities

In 2023, over one in five Coloradans (about 1,250,000 people) identified as Hispanic or Latino, and data from the 2023 Colorado Health Access Survey (CHAS) sheds light on this diverse community. 

Often, racial or ethnic data only tell part of the story. These umbrella terms attempt to quantify a large group of people but mask important identities.

Beginning in 2021, the CHAS began collecting information on specific identities within the larger racial or ethnic groups that are typically collected on surveys. These questions reveal stark differences that might otherwise be hidden and that have implications for people’s long-term health and well-being. This brief highlights two distinct examples within the Hispanic or Latino identity: housing affordability and mental health.

Hispanic or Latino Identity in Colorado

The Hispanic or Latino identity encompasses an expanse of cultural, linguistic, racial, ethnic, and geographic groups. To understand the experiences of more specific communities within this category, the CHAS began to ask deeper questions. People who initially identified as Hispanic or Latino could further define themselves as Mexican or Mexican American, Chicano, Central American, Caribbean, South American, Latinx, Spanish American, and some other identity. 

In 2023, the majority of Hispanic or Latino Coloradans identified as Mexican or Mexican American (62.6%), while over a fourth identified as Chicano (27.1%). And many named some other identity beyond the seven that were collected (19.1%). Respondents could choose multiple identities. For example, about a third of people who identified as Mexican or Mexican American also identified as Chicano. 

Identity is complex and represents many different aspects of people’s lives, including age, gender, language, interactions with others, and the systems in which they live. Some Hispanic and Latino people come from families who have lived in this place long before it was known as Colorado; others are recent immigrants. The reasons a family might immigrate to another country can differ greatly — from seeking new opportunities or education to escaping war and violence — leading to distinct health care needs for different people. 

The CHAS identity questions take an initial step into a deeper understanding of this complexity and how it relates to affordability and health access issues.

Many Face Housing Challenges

Many Hispanic or Latino Coloradans had a hard time affording housing. Overall, 10.1% said they were worried that they wouldn’t have a stable place to live in the next two months. This is statistically higher than the state average of 6.3%. But what about differences within Hispanic or Latino identities? Nearly one in four Latinx Coloradans (23.8%) said they were worried about having a place to live in the next two months, twice as high as the Hispanic or Latino average. Just looking at the Hispanic or Latino percentage doesn’t paint the full picture, as this disparity would otherwise be missed in the data. 

Demographic differences within the specific identities may have been a factor. For example, Latinx Coloradans are younger than the Hispanic or Latino average. Age relates to the ways people might identify in the first place — Latinx is a term that is used more often by younger generations and has a relationship with one’s gender identity, as many women use the term. Younger generations also experience more affordability issues, as they face more financial strains than previous generations. The higher rate of unstable housing among Latinx Coloradans is probably due to their age, not necessarily just their identification as Latinx.

Lacking basic necessities, such as housing, can have a big impact on overall health and can lead to poor health outcomes. In 2023, Coloradans without stable housing were nearly four times more likely to report poor general health compared to those with stable housing (45.4% to 12.1%, respectively). They also reported poor mental health at nearly three times the rate of those with stable housing (62.8% to 22.4%, respectively). Having access to housing is distinctly connected to both overall health and the ability of people to afford the kinds of care that they need, such as mental health care.

Mental Health Care Access

On the surface, the CHAS didn’t show a difference between the state average and Hispanic or Latino Coloradans when it comes to their access to mental health care. About one in seven Coloradans overall (15.5%) had issues accessing needed mental health services — almost the same as Hispanic or Latino Coloradans (14.6%). However, identity-level data told a different story. Latinx Coloradans were twice as likely to report not getting needed mental health care in the past year than the Hispanic or Latino average (29.8% to 14.6%, respectively). 
 

Latinx Coloradans also had higher rates of poor mental health (41.2%) and might have had a harder time affording needed care. Younger generations were more likely to report experiencing poor mental health, and gender and sexual identity may also play a role. About 59% of people who identified as Latinx were female or nonbinary or gender-nonconforming, and LGBTQ+ Coloradans reported poor mental health at higher rates. All these factors may have contributed to poor mental health among those who identify as Latinx.

There wasn’t much difference in using mental health care services in the past year between the state average and the Hispanic or Latino average. However, Latinx and Chicano Coloradans were more likely than other groups to access these services. On the other end, South American Coloradans were the least likely to speak to someone about their mental health during the same period. 

People’s relationships with mental health care are deeply influenced by their social and cultural contexts. Understanding how these contexts affect a person’s likelihood of engaging with mental health care or other services is crucial for addressing disparities in access. 

For example, the Chicano identity is unique, as it has a rich history in social and political activism. The Chicano movement, also referred to as El Movimiento, formed around combating racism and discrimination and empowering and protecting the rights of Hispanic or Latino people throughout the 60s and 70s and onward. The Chicano identity has a political aspect as well. Denver was an epicenter of this movement, which may explain why many Hispanic or Latino Coloradans identify as Chicano. How Chicano Coloradans engage with their social and political context, as well as their health care environment, may differ from other generations or groups.

Additionally, people’s preferred language when speaking about their mental health may affect how likely they are to seek care. About 65% of South American Coloradans spoke a language other than English at home, compared with about half (48.1%) of the overall Hispanic or Latino community and just 15.3% of the Colorado average. The way systems are set up to engage with people who speak languages other than English can have a huge impact on how likely someone will be to keep engaging with their care over time.

Conclusion

The identities within the Hispanic or Latino community are diverse. Each group is influenced by different cultural, linguistic, and social contexts, and people within those groups are further shaped by their own unique perspectives, history, and experiences.

The CHAS began disaggregating racial and ethnic data in 2021 — collecting more detailed information about racial and ethnic identities helps us understand the experiences of the communities that call Colorado home. This information can be used to better understand who is not getting the care they need and make informed decisions about how to respond. 

People who identity as Latinx often stand out in the CHAS data. They are typically younger, female, and face multiple affordability issues. This affects their ability to get the care that they need and may lead to worse health outcomes as they age. 

Engaging specific identities within the Hispanic and Latino community and connecting them to food, housing, and other social programs is integral to creating a Colorado that all people can call home — no matter how they identify.