Health Tips in Honduras

Honduras' health situation has a lot to do with the fact that it is the most underdeveloped country in Latin America. There are two common problems that result from this.

One is malnutrition. Hondurans typically eat a poor diet consisting mainly of corn, cassava, rice and occasional meat and fish. Aside from the fact that many Hondurans lack education, lack of food production has also worsened the problem. There is little agricultural activity and this is even worsened by the lack of facilities to distribute whatever food is produced. On top of this, this culture of poverty has led most Hondurans to believe that this is normal. Hence, there is little, if any, drive to overcome this situation.

The other problem has something to do with unhygienic practices of most Hondurans, leading to infections of the respiratory and digestive system. An expat who has the chance to visit a clinic in the country will find several cases of asthma, colds, sinusitis, sore throat and other respiratory tract infections. Also, gastric diseases are quite rampant and most are due to microbial or parasitic infections.

Other diseases one might find in Honduras are hypertension, diabetes and arthritis, which are either lifestyle-related or genetic. However, these do not occur as frequently as those that develop from malnutrition and common infections.

Even as the health picture in Honduras is not very colorful, expats can always protect themselves simply by being aware of the risks that exist and taking extra precautions.