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Puerto Rico

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Puerto Rico is an island located between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic. It is a commonwealth of the United States, and its residents are U.S. citizens. Puerto Rico has a land mass of 8,870 square kilometers, with an estimated population of 3,989,133 (CIA, 2011). The capital, San Juan, is located on the northern coast of the island. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 98.7% of the population is Hispanic Latino. 75.2% of the population is white, 7.3 % African-American/Black, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, and 10.6% other (2005-2009).

As of fiscal year 2001-2002, Puerto Rico had 68 hospitals, 12 of them belonged to the public sector, according to a Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) report. There are 18 Federally Qualified Health Centers delivering services at 58 sites (Kaiser, 2009). Puerto Rico faces both the health concerns of developing nations in treating malnutrition and infectious diseases, as well as the chronic health problems faced by developed nations, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median family income for Puerto Ricans in 2009 (estimated) was $21,641, with approximately 41.4% of families below poverty level. Data from the Census Bureau's 2005-2009 American Community Survey finds that 33.3% of residents 25 years and older had not completed high school and that 47.2% of the population 16 years and older is part of the labor force.

For additional resources and information, please see: Atlantic Territory and Commonwealth.

Data Sources:

CIA World Fact Book: Puerto Rico

Health in the Americas: Puerto Rico, PAHO

Puerto Rico Fact Sheet, U.S. Census Bureau

Kaiser Health Facts

Organizations

Academia de Directores Médicos de Puerto Rico (ADMPR)
State/regional organization
The Puerto Rico Academy of Medical Directors is a non-profit organization that provides educational activities to clinical providers to improve the quality of health care in Puerto Rico.

Asociación de Hospitales de Puerto Rico
State/regional organization
Puerto Rico's hospital association.

Departmento de Salud, Puerto Rico
State government
Puerto Rico Department of Health. Information provided in Spanish.

Fodos Unidos de Puerto Rico
Nonprofit/Foundation
Dedicated to strengthening the social and health care services in Puerto Rico. Provides financial support to 155 partner organizations and affiliated agencies and special projects that offer direct services.

Gobierno de Puerto Rico
International organization
Official site for the government of Puerto Rico. Information provided in Spanish and English.

HUD Community Development Block Grants: Puerto Rico/Virgin Islands (CDBG)
Federal government
Contact information for the State CDBG program. Provides funding for community development projects.

National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Southeastern/Atlantic Region (NN/LM SE/A)
State/regional organization
Works to improve access to health information for health care providers, librarians, and the public in Alabama, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia and West Virginia.

Puerto Rico Primary Care Association (PRPCA)
State/regional organization
Represents corporations, organizations and healthcare professionals with interest in providing preventive and primary care services that are responsive to the healthcare needs of the communities that they serve. Also available in Spanish.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands (HUD)
Federal government
Works to increase homeownership, support community development and increase access to affordable housing. The HUD state office provides information about HUD housing programs and local contacts.

USDA Rural Development Puerto Rico Office
Federal government
Committed to helping improve the economy and quality of life in all of rural America. The Rural Development Local Office provides information about Rural Development programs and applications for financial assistance.

Tools

Census 2000 Data for Puerto Rico
Web site
Provides access to U.S. Census data for Puerto Rico, including maps and tables.
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau

CIA World Fact Book: Puerto Rico
Web site
Provides current information on Puerto Rico, covering geography, population characteristics, government and the economy.
Sponsoring organization: Central Intelligence Agency

NN/LM Southeastern Atlantic Region: Puerto Rico Resources
Web site
Overview of the island, with links to agencies, health associations, and other resources for Puerto Rico.
Sponsoring organization: National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Southeastern/Atlantic Region

Puerto Rico Fact Sheet
Web site
Provides population and social characteristics data for Puerto Rico.
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau

Puerto Rico KIDS COUNT Data Center (KCDC)
Web site
Provides data on child well-being for Puerto Rico.
Sponsoring organization: Annie E. Casey Foundation

Puerto Rico State Health Facts
Database
The latest state-level data on demographics, health, and health policy, including health coverage, access, financing, and state legislation.
Sponsoring organization: Kaiser Family Foundation

Title V: A Snapshot of Maternal and Child Health: Puerto Rico
Web site
Presents data on maternal and child health for Puerto Rico.
Sponsoring organization: Maternal and Child Health Bureau

Funding


Inactive Funding

Inactive Funding Opportunities - Lists additional funding programs for this state that are not currently accepting applications. Programs that are inactive may be offered again in the future.

Documents, Reports and Other Publications

Health in the Americas: Puerto Rico
Sponsoring organization: Pan American Health Organization
Offers data on the health situation of people living in Puerto Rico. It describes and analyzes the progress, constraints, and challenges the state faces in their efforts to improve the health of their people. Covers socio-economic and demographic information, health status, and health services.
Date: 2007

Maternal and Child Health Services Title V Block Grant State Narrative for Puerto Rico
Sponsoring organization: Maternal and Child Health Bureau
Includes an overview of Puerto Rico, its health system, and maternal and child health status.
Date: 09 / 2008

Puerto Rico Quick Health Facts 2010
Author(s): Leigh Purvis
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
Presents data on people aged fifty and older living in Puerto Rico, including: demographics, health status, utilization and quality of services, Medicare and Medicaid, and access to care.
Date: 07 / 2010

Small Business Profile: U.S. Territories
Sponsoring organization: Small Business Administration
Profile of the economy: covering the number of firms, industry composition, small business income, banking, women and minority business ownership, and employment in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Marianas, and American Samoa.
Date: 02 / 2011

Title V Maternal and Child Health Needs Assessment: Puerto Rico
Sponsoring organization: Maternal and Child Health Bureau
Provides access to Puerto Rico's maternal and child health needs assessment for the period of 2010-2015. Includes a detailed overview of maternal and child health status in Puerto Rico.
Date: 2010

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Page last updated 1/30/2012
Page last reviewed 5/24/2011

 

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Contributor:
Madeline Rossy, HRSA
MRossy@hrsa.gov

Maintained by:
Aubrey Madler
aubrey@raconline.org


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Funding for this project was supported by Grant Number U56RH05539 from the Office of Rural Health Policy, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents of this website are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the funder.