LatinaLista — Too often, organizations wanting to reach Latinos, both Spanish-speakers and non-Spanish speakers, think it’s enough to translate into Spanish content geared to an English-speaking audience. They are clueless that most Latino readers want to read content that is relevant to their own lives and lifestyles.
That’s why news of a new bilingual ‘Latino health site’ didn’t sound any different from all the other bilingual web portals out there trying to include Latinos in their outreach. But just a visit to the homepage of Vida Vibrante shows that the people behind this site do get it.
Geared to Latino readers, articles incorporate Latino health habits and culture. For example, the article “Skimping On Sleep May Make You Fat, Says Study” mentions the sleeping difference between acculturated Latinos and immigrant Latinos.
In traditional Hispanic cultures, lack of sleep normally isn’t a problem because afternoon naps are par for the course. But acculturated Hispanics who have embraced a more American lifestyle of burning the candle at both ends, are destined to experience the same issues.
The section on nutrition offers healthy recipes for avocados — giving a short history lesson on its origins in Mexico — as well as, special recipes for Lent from Ecuador, Puerto Rico and Mexico, among others.
The site offers the traditional A-Z dictionary of health conditions and an interesting section devoted to ‘Natural Health’ offering articles on holistic practices and curative ingredients familiar to anyone with an abuelita.
Other topics covered on the site include women and men’s health, parenting, baby care, elder care, exercise, ‘health and politics,’ Latino celebrity health interviews and it even features health insurance options.
A unique feature, still evolving, is the Doctor Directory where readers can type in their zip codes and find the nearest bilingual doctors in different specialties. Upcoming features include a mobile app, an e-mail newsletter and videos.
What’s ironic about the site is that a non-Latino founded it. Lonnie Jones is the chief executive and founder of the site. He realized that there was a “void” in the Latino market for a site that offered culturally relevant health information.
It’s a refreshing development to see that there is a realization that language alone isn’t the cure for reaching Latinos.
