In
the publications described in this section, the focus is on the experiences
of U.S. immigrants and how such experiences affect immigrants' health status.
Immigrants to the United States often move into ethnic enclaves or areas
with high concentration of other immigrants. Such ethnic enclaves can serve
an adaptive function, allowing immigrants to capitalize on the social, cultural,
and economic resources within the enclave.
Researchers have observed that immigrants
often have better health outcomes than expected, given their generally
low
economic status, exposure to stressful conditions such as difficulty
accessing health care, and exposure to discrimination or racism. The reasons
for
immigrants'
better health outcomes are not entirely clear. Researchers have suggested
that the following factors may play a role: 1) selective migration, with
healthier people in the population more likely to immigrate; 2) possible
underreporting of disease or misclassification by race or ethnicity;
and 3) good social support and protective sociocultural factors. Research
also
shows that immigrant health worsens after immigrants arrive in the United
States.
To improve immigrants' health, researchers
suggest policies and programs to support housing access, transportation,
employment, community health workers, mobile medical services, naturalization,
English classes, legal assistance, leadership training, and political
and civic involvement.
Bender
DE, Castro D. Explaining the birthweight paradox: Latina immigrants' perceptions
of resilience and risk. Journal of Immigrant Health. 2000;2:155-173.
Berk
ML, and Schur CL. The effect of fear on access to care among undocumented
Latino immigrants. Journal of Immigrant Health. 2001;3:151-156.
Escobar
JI. Immigration and mental health: why are immigrants better off? Archives
of General Psychiatry. 1998;55:781-782.
Finch
BK, Boardman JD, et al. Contextual effects of acculturation on perinatal
substance exposure among immigrant and native-born Latinas. Social Science
Quarterly. 2000;81:421-438.
Frisbie
WP, Cho Y, Hummer RA. Immigration and the health of Asian and Pacific Islander
adults in the United States. American Journal of Epidemiology.
2001;153:372-380.
Gonzalez HM, Haan MN, Hinton
L. Acculturation and the prevalence of depression in older Mexican Americans:
Baseline results of the Sacramento area Latino Study on Aging. Journal
of the American Geriatrics Society. 2001;49:948-953.
Guendelman S. Immigrants
may hold clues to protecting health during pregnancy: exploring a paradox.
Berkeley, CA: California Wellness Foundation/University of California
Wellness Lecture Series; 1995.
Hummer RA, Rogers RG, Nam
CB, LeClere FB. Race/ethnicity, nativity, and U.S. adult mortality. Social
Science Quarterly. 1999;80:136-153.
Macpherson
DW, Gushulak BD. Human mobility and population health: new approaches in
a globalizing world. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine. 2001;44:390-401.
Markides
KS, Coreil J. The health of Hispanics in the southwestern United States:
an epidemiologic paradox. Public Health Reports. 1986;101:253-265.
Reyes BI, Mameesh L. Immigration
into America 's communities: how are communities accommodating their newest
arrivals? Oakland, CA: PolicyLink; 2001.
Singh GK, Siahpush M. Ethnic-immigrant
differentials in health behaviors, morbidity, and cause-specific mortality
in the United States: an analysis of two national data bases. Human
Biology. 2002;74:83-109.
Singh GK, Yu SM. Adverse
pregnancy outcomes: differences between U.S.- and foreign-born women in
major U.S. racial and ethnic groups. American Journal of Public Health. 1996;86:837-843.
Vega
WA, Amaro H. Latino outlook: good health, uncertain prognosis. Annual
Review of Public Health. 1994;15:39-67.
Weigers
ME, Sherraden MS. A critical examination of acculturation: the impact of
health behaviors, social support, and economic resources on birthweight
among women of Mexican descent. International Migration Review.
2001;35:804-839.
