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UTB-CBIRD Report: “At The Crossroads” Economic Development 125
leads to greater incidence of hepatitis A and other illnesses. These conditions
are particularly onerous because they are associated with limited access to
treatment. In 1995, the Texas Water Development Board estimated that
340,000 Texas residents lived in colonias (Chapa and Eaton, 1996). Within the
LRGV most of the colonias are located in Cameron, Hidalgo, Webb, and Starr
Counties. In short, because of inadequate water and sewage, colonia residents
face many health hazards. These are usually combined with strong barriers to
accessing health prevention and care services. 1
Table 5.15. Healthcare Challenges for the U.S., Texas, and South Texas
Challenges U.S. Texas South Texas
Population Below Poverty (% of Total 1990 Population) 14.0 18.0 27.0
Population Below Poverty (% of Total 1999 Population) 13 (1997) 16.0 27.0
Unemployment Rate (1998) 6.0 5.0 8.0
Births per 100,000 Population (1997) 1,455.30 1714.3 1977.1
Diabetes Deaths per 100,000 Population (1997) 23.2 (1996) 24.4 32.7
Tuberculosis Cases per 100,000 Population (1997) 8.7 (1995) 10.2 11.4
Hepatitis A Cases per 100,000 Population (1997) 12.1 (1995) 23.2 56.8
TANF Recipients (% of 1998 Population) NA 2.0 5.0
TANF Payments per Capita (1998) NA $15.62 $29.37
Food Stamps Recipients (% of 1998 Population) 7 9.0 17.0
Food Stamps Expenditures per Capita (1998) $62.30 $72.72 $141.75
To Meet These Challenges
Per Capita Income $25,874 $24,228 $18,483
At Least High School Graduate (% of 1990 Population over 24) 75 72 63
At Least Baccalaureate Degree (% of 1990 Population over 24) 20 20 16
Physicians per 100,000 Population (1999) 247+ (1995) 165 158
Primary Care Physicians per 100,000 Population (1999) 106 + (1995) 71 71
Registered Nurses per 100,000 Population (1999) 823 (1997) 735 672
Dentists per 100,000 Population (1999) 61 (1996) 37 32
Pharmacists per 100,000 Population (1999) NA 74 62
Non-Federal Hospitals (1999) 5,911 (1996) 514 76
Non-Federal Hospital Beds per 100,000 Population (1999) 373 (1996) 368 344
Medicaid Eligibles (% of 1998 Population) 13 (1994) 6.0 11.0
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, TX State Comptroller’s Office, TX Health & Human Services Commission, US
Bureau of Economic Analysis, TX Workforce Commission, TX Department of Health, TX State board of Medical
Examiners, Board of Nurse Examiners for the State of TX, TX State Board of Dental Examiners, TX State Board
of Pharmacy, TX Dept. of Human Services.
The employment status of Cameron County residents directly influences their
ability to purchase health insurance coverage and to generally access quality
healthcare services. Due to recent layoffs (mostly in the apparel industry)
Cameron County’s double digit unemployment figure is again on the rise. The
high rate of uninsured residents is partially due to the prevalence of small
businesses and the reliance on low-wage jobs in the region. Together with other
Texas border counties (such as Brooks, Culberson, Dimmit, Duval, El Paso, Frio,
and Hidalgo), Cameron County has a higher average number of uninsured
1 Zavaleta, Antonio N. 2000, “Do Cultural Factors Affect Hispanic Health Status?” An article prepared
for The University of Texas Health Sciences at Houston School of Public Health satellite center at
Brownsville. Article available online at http://ntmain.utb.edu/vpea/elnino/newarticle.html.
One Region -- One Future
Medicaid eligible
residents in border
counties are more than
double the rate for Texas
as a whole.