TexasHealth.org Targeting Hispanics.

Expanded Spanish-language health information and services now are available at the click of a button at TexasHealth.org, the consumer Web site of Texas Health Resources.

“As a physician, I believe it is important for everyone to have access to medical information,” said Dr. James Chanez, a member of the medical staff at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas. “This Web site brings vital health information to Spanish-speaking visitors in the comfort of their home. Texas Health Resources has done a great job of providing a library of health information in Spanish.”

Among the site’s many enhancements is a new Spanish-language health library containing information on diseases and conditions, symptoms, medical tests, surgeries and procedures, anatomical illustrations and animated video segments.

The “Find a Physician” feature also makes it easier than ever to locate a Spanish-speaking doctor at Arlington Memorial Hospital, Harris Methodist Hospitals or the Presbyterian Healthcare System.

There are now more than 1.5 million Hispanics living in the Metroplex, nearly triple the number in 1990. In addition, two-thirds of those are foreign born, and of that group, 58 percent say they understand English “not well” or “not well at all,” according to research conducted by Rincon & Associates. These statistics present a challenge to health care providers. Fortunately, the Internet is proving a valuable source for bilingual health care information. Research conducted for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that about 50 percent of Hispanics are now Internet users, and the amount of time Hispanics spend on Spanish-language Web sites increased from 30 percent in 2000 to 58 percent in 2002. The improvements to TexasHealth.org target this growing group of consumers.

“Without a doubt, language barriers present a challenge for all of us,” Dr. Chanez said. “Fortunately, TexasHealth.org is making access to health care information a little easier.”

For more information at http://www.TexasHealth.org