2023-05-03 20:20:39
Latin people conceptual illustration. Image Credit: Nicole Smith, made with Midjourney
Undocumented Latinos in the United States—such as for fear of deportation—report worse physical and mental health compared to those with legal status, according to a new study from the University of Michigan.
Regardless of their documentation problems, Latino participants who have a higher feeling of support report fewer negative mental health symptoms, according to the study.
“Building a positive sense of community, whether among friends, family, and neighbors, or organizations like churches and community centers, serves as a protective shield against anti-immigrant sentiment and systemic discrimination,” said first author Fernanda Lima Crossassistant professor in the UM School of Social Work.
“Having a social support network promotes feelings of belonging, which is helpful for those navigating this country as Latino immigrants.”
According to the Immigration Policy Institute, there are some 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, the majority of Latino descent. Despite the large size of this population, access to mental and physical health support resources is relatively low due to social, systemic, and language barriers.
Gaps arise due to lack of documentation, further aggravating people’s ability to access resources and increasing their propensity for undiagnosed mental and physical health problems.
Awareness of potential discrimination from government officials, health care workers and everyday encounters discourages the undocumented from seeking care, say Cross and colleagues, who spoke with nearly 500 Latino adults in Washtenaw County, Michigan, between 2013 and 2014.
“The goal of this data collection was to provide a snapshot view into the health and mental health of the county’s Latino population to increase awareness of the needs and strengths of the community, which can support the development of programs and interventions. as well as provide information to agencies and clinicians who work with the community,” Cross said.
Although the data is from a decade ago, the results are still applicable today, says Cross. When the data accumulated, Latino immigrants in Washtenaw County were living on hypervigilance due to community raids under the Obama administration. Since then, Latino immigrants have continued to experience marginalization and discrimination throughout the Trump administration, she says.
“Then we were all hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic that not only impacted Latino communities more deeply, but also brought to light the role of social determinants of health as underlying factors contributing to health disparities. Cross said. “Now we are starting to find a new normal after the pandemic and we know that feeling supported by those around us makes a difference. Our results empirically support this claim.”
The results, which appear in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, suggest that support for Washtenaw County’s Latino community has a direct impact on health.
“Social support positively influences the health of Latinos,” says Cross. “About 90% of our participants were foreign-born and 60% had lived in the US for at least 10 years. These percentages show the power of feeling supported in your community even by the most established immigrants.”
In the 2010s, when Casa Latina existed, Latino families and individuals had a space to come together and find support.
“We don’t have it anymore, but the need remains,” Cross said. “We need more programs and physical spaces to support Latino immigrants, where they feel safe, welcome and included, especially those with documentation problems. Expressing support for this community can come from any of us.”
Written by Fernanda Pires, Michigan News, adapted into Spanish by Juan Ochoa, Michigan News
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