Inequality and health among foreign-born latinos in rural borderland communities

Abstract

Thousands of Mexicans and Central Americans settle in communities along the borderlands between Mexico and the United States. Many live and work in rural communities characterized by poverty and limited access to basic resources. Drawing on qualitative research, this article reports on inequalities and health among foreign-born Latinos in rural borderland communities. From 2015 to 2016, the study team conducted research in Inland Southern California's Eastern Coachella Valley with Mexican farmworkers, farmworker advocates, community leaders, healthcare service providers, and local political leaders. The analysis of field notes and interviews demonstrates how situational and temporal factors position this foreign-born population as vulnerable to inequalities across multiple social systems resulting in low social status, lack of employment and housing stability, and limited access to healthcare services. Over time, the experience of both situational life events and persistent and daily chronic strain infringes on self-concept, including mastery or control over life and self-worth, and contributes to stress and subsequent poor mental health outcomes (e.g., depression). The research calls for local community action, healthcare policy change, and further in-depth research on structural inequalities in health among foreign-born Latinos.

Financial Hardship and Health Related Quality of Life Among Older Latinos With Chronic Diseases

“…While financial issues appear to have an important role when dealing with chronic diseases, it may not be related to Latino individuals’ emotional well-being as characterized by the questions we asked in this study (e.g., do you feel sad or nervous, lose hope, worry about dying or that the condition will get worse, satisfied with coping). It could be that Latinos with chronic diseases have already faced various challenges that make them vulnerable (e.g, having limited income and lack of health insurance) 10 and suggesst they have learned how to deal with these issues over the course of their lives. Additionally, Latinos’ cultural values are important to consider as some are likely to accept their complex circumstances and put everything into God’s hands in order to cope.…”

“…9 Foreign-born Latinos are highly vulnerable to experiencing both health and economic inequalities with lower socioeconomic status, lack of employment, housing instability, and gaps in healthcare. 10 Latinos living in the U.S. experience financial burden with the costs of healthcare when seeking treatment because they lack employer-based health insurance. Many Latinos living in the U.S. lack citizenship which makes it difficult to garner employment that provides health insurance as a medical benefit.…”

Overcoming Barriers to Health Care Access in Rural Latino Communities: An Innovative Model in the Eastern Coachella Valley

“…Farmworkers do not have paid sick leave, which means that missing work for a medical visit could equal a reduction in already low pay or even the loss of employment. 4 Due to factors such as long work hours, risk of job loss for missed work, and limited resources to manage other aspects of their lives outside of working hours, time is immensely valuable to this Latino immigrant population.…”

“…37 This largely Mexican-origin population is vulnerable to inequalities in health due to nationality, citizenship, ethnicity, and rural geographic location, and they experience limited access to health care services which, over time, contributes to chronic stress and poor mental and physical health outcomes. 4 Recruitment Convenience (nonrandomized selection) and snowball sampling were used to recruit participants into the study. Snowball sampling is a chain referral technique that uses referrals by key informants and other participants.…”

“…status. [4][5][6] Poor access to health services among Latino farmworkers stems from 2 factors: their rural locale and structurally vulnerable status as immigrants.…”