An Anomaly Within the Latino Epidemiological Paradox

OBJECTIVE: To describe the anomaly of the Latino adolescent male mortality peak in relation to the overall Latino epidemiological paradox and in relation to the need for new conceptual models describing the health of a culturally diverse population. DESIGN: Population-based study using California's 1989 to 1997 summary death files for death-related information and the State of California Department of Finance population estimates for population denominators for corresponding years. PARTICIPANTS: California's general population for 1989 to 1997, including California's 15- to 19-year-old and 20- to 24-year-old populations. In 1997, those 2 age groups numbered 4.3 million. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mortality rates for Latinos and African Americans compared with non-Hispanic whites expressed as relative risk (RR). RESULTS: Overall, the Latino RR of mortality follows the Latino epidemiological paradox in that it is lower (RR, <1.00) than that of non-Hispanic whites for most age groups and both sexes. The anomaly within this paradox is seen in Latino males aged 15 to 19 years (RR, 1.77; 95% confidence interval, 1.55-2.02) and 20 to 24 years (RR, 1.79; 95% confidence interval, 1.58-2.02). CONCLUSIONS: This period of elevated mortality risk is labeled the Latino adolescent male mortality peak, and it is an anomaly within the overall Latino epidemiological paradox.