Haitian Immigrants Research Articles

Haitian Immigrants and the Coronavirus Pandemic in Brazil

Social and environmental epidemiology recognizes that analyzing the social and living contexts in which populations are embedded is essential for broadening our understanding of health and disease processes, as well as improving research on disease distribution. This theoretical essay aims to discuss the repercussions and challenges faced by the Haitian population received in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is based on a review of the literature and discussions occurred in the Socio-Environmental Epidemiology class of the Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences in a university in southern Brazil. Given the precarious conditions in which Haitian immigrants live in Brazil and the impact on their health, this essay highlights that the vulnerabilities already present in this population were exacerbated during the pandemic, further worsening their living conditions and health status. Haitian immigrants appear to have experienced the effects of the pandemic more intensely due to intersectional factors, particularly their immigrant status combined with socioeconomic difficulties. This underscores the urgent need for public policies aimed at reducing the inequalities affecting this population, ensuring their effective integration into Brazilian society through improved access to quality employment, housing, food, income, and healthcare services.

Crime and punishment: international security lessons from 1980s south Florida Haitian immigrants

The uniquely distinct culture of Haitian immigrants led to important socio-economic challenges, discriminatory practices, and limited opportunities in 1980s Miami. The socio-economic challenges faced by Haitian immigrants in the 1980s, including their susceptibility to involvement in crime networks, offer valuable lessons for addressing potential migration waves from Haiti to the US today. During the 1980s and 1990s, many Haitian immigrants encountered barriers to economic integration, leading some individuals to resort to participation in illicit activities for survival. The socio-economic challenges faced by Haitian immigrants in the 1980s, including their susceptibility to involvement in crime networks, offer valuable lessons for addressing potential migration waves from Haiti to the US today. The objective of this research paper is to explore the interconnected nature of crime, immigration, and social challenges faced by Haitian immigrants during the 1980s, shedding light on the historical context that laid the foundation for contemporary discussions on homeland security.

Truth and democracy in an era of misinformation.

Concern about misinformation and its toxic effects on democracy is widespread. A survey of nearly 1500 experts by the World Economic Forum ranked misinformation and disinformation (the latter being intentionally spread, whereas the former may arise accidentally) as the top global risk during the next 2 years. Examples of misinformation-fueled events abound. In the United States, baseless claims about election fraud in 2020 by the losing presidential candidate, Donald Trump, culminated in a violent insurrection against the US Capitol on 6 January 2021. At the time of this writing, Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are fearful of the future after Trump baselessly alleged on national TV that immigrants there were eating their white neighbors' pets-a racist trope dating back centuries. In the UK, right-wing mobs recently attacked mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers on the basis of the false claim that a Muslim refugee had fatally stabbed children at a dance class. The suspect was actually born in Britain, and his family regularly attended a Christian church. The list goes on.

Findings on dietary characteristics among Haitian immigrants and the threat of food insecurity: A scoping review

Findings on dietary characteristics among Haitian immigrants and the threat of food insecurity: A scoping review

La belleza revelada del cedro y el yarey: la artesanía nacida de un grupo tradicional de ascendencia haitiana en Cuba

Las variopintas artes y oficios populares latinoamericanos son apreciadas por nutrirse de raíces étnicas ancestrales, que cuentan su historia en el tejido o el material de la pieza. Entre ellos, las artesanías distinguen el color mestizo del continente. En Cuba, algunas producciones de este tipo narran el paso de los siglos en manos de artífices alejados del conocimiento académico. Los saberes creativos, transmitidos fundamentalmente de forma generacional, en la comunidad o en la familia, aportan valores históricos a artículos de uso utilitario o no. Precisamente este tema expone a una familia descendiente de inmigrantes haitianos de una zona rural del oriente del país, herederos de una tradición artesanal también procedente de Haití. Su obra resulta interesante en tanto devela cómo las prácticas familiares y comunales rurales de este grupo portador conocido como Los Richard devienen en una producción cultural (artesanal y también musical) que favorece al entorno social donde se enclavan. La perspectiva cualitativa expresa en diversas entrevistas en profundidad y la observación etnográfica nos permitió no solo ahondar en la historia y las formas de hacer artesanía de esta familia creadora, sino también divulgar los valores de su producción y sus logros como grupo familiar portador dentro del mismo municipio y las redes de la cultura de toda la región oriental de la ínsula cubana.

Immigrant-blind care: How immigrants experience the “inclusive” health system as they access care

A growing body of scholarship examines the varying impact of legal status and race on accessing healthcare. However, a notable gap persists in comprehending the supplementary mechanisms that hinder immigrants' pathway to seek care. Drawing on ethnographic observations in various clinical settings and in-depth interviews with 28 healthcare professionals and 12 documented Haitian immigrants in a city in Upstate New York, between 2019 and 2021, I demonstrate the tension between the conceptualization and implementation of inclusive care practices by healthcare providers. I argue that the mere expansion and adoption of inclusive discourse among providers do not inherently ensure equity and the removal of barriers to healthcare access. This work contributes to the social study of medicine and race and ethnic studies by introducing the innovative concept of “immigrant-blind.” Through this concept, the research sheds light on how providers' conceptualization of inclusivity proclaims medical encounters to be devoid of stratifications and rationalizes their practices which mask the profound impact of immigration status and immigration on immigrant health. Furthermore, these practices reinforce existing divisions within care settings and medical encounters, where immigration laws and enforcement practices operate and further exacerbate stratifications. By examining providers' uninformed implementation of culturally competent care practices, the findings reveal that providers stigmatize and essentialize immigrants during medical encounters. This highlights the imperative for a more nuanced and informed approach to healthcare provision, where genuine inclusivity is upheld, and barriers to access are dismantled to foster equitable and dignified healthcare experiences for all.

Migration-Related Stress Among Haitians: Cross-Cultural Translation of the Demands of Immigration Scale.

Background and Purpose: Although the Haitian population in the United States continues to grow, there is a lack of instruments in Haitian Creole to assess risk factors associated with poor mental health such as migration-related stress. This study described the translation of the Demands of Immigration Scale (DIS) and evaluated psychometric properties, meaning equivalence, and understandability of the Haitian Creole/English DIS. Methods: I applied the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy translation procedures and recruited 76 first-generation Haitian immigrants to pilot test the DIS. Results: Reliability was strong (α > .93). Meaning equivalence was maintained (r = .979), 75% understood both DIS versions equally, and 80% rated the translation as excellent/good. The DIS significantly correlated with gender, income, age, age at migration, English fluency, and depression. Conclusions: The DIS can reliably identify immigration-related social determinants of mental health and is ready for use in Haitian Creole.

A Narrative Review of Cervical Cancer Screening Utilization Among Haitian Immigrant Women in the U.S.: Health Beliefs, Perceptions, and Societal Barriers and Facilitators.

Haitian immigrant women living in the U.S. have a higher rate of cervical cancer mortality than any other ethnic group, primarily due to lower rates of screening test utilization. Therefore, it is important to understand the issues affecting their pap smear screening behaviors. We conducted a narrative review of articles from PubMed, SCOPUS, Embase, CINAHL/Nursing, and Psych Info. Inclusion criteria: U.S. Haitian immigrant, screening, cervical cancer, health beliefs/perceptions. Exclusion criteria: HPV-vaccine. Primary barriers: (1) lack of knowledge of cervical cancer, HPV, and pap smears; (2) lack of culturally appropriate dissemination of information; and (3) difficulty obtaining the test. Primary facilitators: (1) provider recommendations, (2) Haitian media to disseminate health information, and (3) having health insurance. This review highlights the points for intervention by health professionals and policy makers to address this group's low pap smear utilization.

Cultural Effects on the Performance of Older Haitian Immigrants on Timed Cognitive Tests.

Ignoring the cultural factors that can affect performance on cognitive tests may result in use of tests that have not been validated for that group. One example is testing of Haitian Creole speaking adults who are increasingly affected by Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, for whom few tests have been validated. Our purpose is to describe differences in timed test performance between Haitian Creole and English-speaking participants and explore factors that may account for any differences in results found. Data was obtained from an ongoing longitudinal driving and cognition study "In Vehicle Sensors to Detect Cognitive Change in Older Drivers." Two groups consisting of 12 Creole speaking and 12 English speaking older adults were matched by age and gender. Test scores were selected from the battery of tests administered in the parent study. The measures were translated by two bilingual Creole-English researchers. Group performance on five timed cognitive tests commonly used in research was compared. The English-speaking group's mean scores were significantly higher than the Creole speaking group on the MoCA and the timed Animal category fluency, letter P fluency, Stroop Color Test, and Trail Making Test A and B. The most significant effects were noted in Letter P fluency, Trail Making Test A and B and Animal category fluency where the differences had large effect sizes. However, the Creole speaking group had higher mean scores than the English-Speaking group on the Stroop Color Word Test, although the difference was not statistically significant. It was not feasible to match education levels due to the differences in years of education across the groups. These results highlight the significant role of culture and linguistic context in cognitive task performance. The results suggest performance in cognitive testing among non-English speaking groups may be impacted by cultural factors related to time perception and the testing approach employed, leading to misinterpretation and misdiagnosis. Future studies should explore the fairness of various cognitive testing approaches with Haitian older adults and other societies with cultures and educational approaches different from those of Western cultures.

Racialized Boundaries Against Haitian Immigrants in Chile: Two Case Studies

Racism is a type of systematic power abuse by a dominant group against diverse minorities through discursive and material practices (Van Dijk, 2021). This article draws attention to the generation of racializing discourses, particularly towards the Haitian immigrant population in Chile, in (a) mass media, which mainly focuses on radio, television, and newspapers such as Radio Bíobío, Chilevision, and La Tercera newspaper, and (b) government policy, as articulated in the 2018 executive order “Plan Humanitarian Orderly Return” (PHOR). After delineating the historical background of recent Haitian migration to Chile, authors deploy Critical Discourses Analysis (CDA) of two powerful cases of popularly mediated racializing discourses reflected in media coverage of (a) the case of a Haitian woman, Joane Florvil, who died soon after taken into police custody on a wrongful charge of abandoning her infant in 2017 and (b) the racially inflected 2018 executive order PHOR which overwhelmingly targeted Haitians for “voluntary deportation”. Authors consider headlines, article coverage of institutional agents and minority subjects, and state-generated documents. Informed by postcolonial thought, the study discusses current expressions of racialized boundaries in the Chilean media focusing particularly on the disciplining and regulation of migrants based on the idea of order

Acculturative Orientations and Ethnic-racial Prejudice Toward Haitian Immigrants in Southern BrazilACCULTURATIVE ORIENTATIONS AND ETHNIC-RACIAL PREJUDICE TOWARD HAITIAN IMMIGRANTS IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL

This study aimed to identify acculturative orientations of a Brazilian host community from a small countryside city toward Haitian immigrants and investigate which factors, related to racial prejudice, quality of life, and sociodemographic characteristics, were associated to the adopted acculturative orientations. 88 host community members were interviewed and the results indicated that the most adopted acculturative orientation are individualism and integration. Higher quality of life and lesser racial prejudice is related to the acculturative orientations of individualism and integration, whereas lower perceived quality of life and greater racial prejudice is related to the acculturative orientation segregation and exclusionism. The results show the importance of a migratory policy that follows the integrative model, informing the population about the theme and focusing on actions that can tackle racial prejudice, which is the leading sphere related to acculturative orientations that exclude Haitian immigrants from society.

Displacement and Marginalisation of Haitian Immigrants

Displacement is the forced or voluntary migration of people. Colonialism and Imperialism are the significant factors that lead to the displacement and dislocation of people. Economic poverty and natural calamities add to the physical movement of people from one country to another. The migrants suffer physically and psychologically in the host countries. The fear of non-acceptance leads to their marginalisation in society. Marginalisation is a social phenomenon in which ethnic minorities or sub-groups are excluded from mainstream society. When an individual migrates, he aspires to acceptance in the host country. The natives do not find any semblance to the migrants and do not accept them; they treat them indifferently, demean them, and use derogatory terms for them. The immigrants find it difficult to adapt and feel secluded and marginalised. Edwidge Danticat writes about the immigration of Haitians and the problems they faced after immigration. The immigrants are displaced in the host country and feel alienated when they do not find any help or solace. They face social, economic, political, cultural and psychological marginalisation. The marginalised are always at the receiving end, and their needs are ignored. These marginalised people may develop low self-confidence and self-esteem.

A relação dos imigrantes haitianos evangélicos em São Paulo com o pentecostalismo

In 2010, many Haitians arrived in Brazil and the religiosity manifested by them was soon noticed. Many of them were evangelicals and little by little they were forming their Evangelical ethnic communities in differentparts of the Brazilian territory. Among these, Baptists, Adventists, Assembly of God, Rock Solid, amongothers. In São Paulo it was possible to follow some of these communities for a few years. Given this scenario, the objective of this work is to understand the relationship of Evangelical Haitian immigrants in São Paulo with “Pentecostalism”. For ourstudy, we adopted the bibliographic survey and the field experience obtained during the master's and doctoral research among Evangelical Haitians in São Paulo. As a result, we find that Pentecostal practices are common among different groups of Evangelical Haitians. We conclude that the relationship of Evangelical Haitian immigrants in São Paulo with Pentecostalism is expressive, even among those who do not recognize themselves as Pentecostals.

Imigração de haitianos: enfoque na comunicação em saúde

Research on the adaptation of Haitian immigrants to the Brazilian reality and to the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS) and on the way interpersonal relationship is processed in the health environment. The objective was to understand how Haitian immigrants, users of the health system, present themselves and are perceived in the relationships established with health professionals in a Primary Health Unit in the Metropolitan Region of Curitiba. It was an ethnography with participant observation, using a field diary. Results indicate difficulties for Haitian immigrants to access the health system, due to the peculiarities of their culture, and for the health professionals, as language and culture become the main barrier to care, being permeated by prejudice resulting from lack of training of some professionals. However, such difficulties can be overcome through effective strategies and better preparation to embrace this population.

Strès ak Pwoblèm Pap Janm Fini: Deciphering migration-related stress from the perspectives of Haitian immigrants in Florida.

Relocating and starting a new life in a foreign country may entail a constellation of new stressors for Haitian immigrants; thus, research that enhances our understanding of how this vulnerable population contextualizes migration-related stress is necessary. The objectives of this study were to: (a) identify what factors are associated with migration-related stress, and (b) describe which and why specific migration-related stressors were most significant from the perspective of those suffering from high migration-related stress post migration via the stress proliferation lens of the stress process model. In this mixed-methods, sequential, explanatory pilot study, first-generation Haitian immigrants (N = 76) were recruited to operationalize migration-related stress, using the Demands of Immigration Scale (DIS). Participants (n = 8), who scored 25 or higher on the DIS, completed an in-depth audio-recorded follow-up interview that consisted of open-ended questions and a stressor-ranking questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, multiple linear regression (quantitative), and thematic analysis with a double-coded approach (qualitative) were employed to analyze the data. Female gender, older age, English fluency, and migration after the age of 18years were associated with higher migration-related stress. However, only gender and English fluency predicted migration-related stress. In interviews, participants ranked five migration-related stressors as most stressful: language barriers, financial strains, loss of social networks, family conflicts, and exposure to discrimination/stigma. A nuanced depiction of migration-related stressors and proliferation mechanisms of migration-related stress may help identify areas where support and preventive efforts should be directed to improve social integration, stress levels, and mental well-being among immigrants.

Self-Management and Glycemic Targets in Adult Haitian Immigrants With Type 2 Diabetes: Research Protocol.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic condition affecting more than 34.2 million U.S. adults, and people of African descent have a disproportionate burden. Haitian immigrants' unique cultural and biological factors put them at elevated risk for T2D-related complications. Despite prior research highlighting the success of multimethod approaches to T2D self-management behaviors on glycemic targets, a dearth of studies have used these methods to improve diabetes self-management in this marginalized population. This article describes a repeated-measures design protocol of a going study about self-management behaviors among adult Haitian immigrants with T2D and characterizing their barriers to T2D self-management. We will enroll 100 Haitian immigrants aged 18-64 years who have lived with T2D for at least 1 year. Using multiple recruitment methods and Research Electronic Data Capture, subjective and objective data on T2D self-management practices, glucose variability via continuous glucose monitor, and a comprehensive view of physical activity via actigraphy are collected. Data analysis will follow a two-part approach mirroring the two primary study objectives. Findings from the study will guide the development and testing of a culturally tailored diabetes self-management education program that will contribute essential information about best practices for this population and break barriers that may impede research on unique individuals and subsequent effective self-management.

Haitian Immigrants' Information Needs and Behaviors: Libraries, Information Professionals and Haitians in the United States

Haitian immigrants are a socially excluded growing demographic in the United States that deals with racism, anti-immigrant sentiment, anti-Haiti rhetoric, and language barriers. Information professionals need to understand Haitian information behavior, their cultural preferences, and barriers in order to successfully fulfill their information needs. This article examines other disciplines’ relevant and scholarly research literature on Haitian immigrants in the United States to discover their trends of information behavior and barriers so that the Library and Information Science field can create effective information pathways to support their community. Haitian immigrants turn to their families and trusted individuals for their information needs, due to their high-context oral culture. They utilize the radio and ICT networks to connect transnationally. The challenges to their information needs include information overload, language barriers, a bias for face-to-face communication, racism, and culture clash issues. Information professionals can mitigate these barriers by providing outreach, access, excellent programming, bilingual resources and reference, and culturally competent staff. Keywords: Haitian immigrants, libraries, Haiti, information needs, information behaviors, social inclusion, United States

Modos de vida e trabalho de imigrantes haitianos no Oeste do Paraná/Brasil

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the migratory process, ways of living, and working conditions of Haitians residing in the municipality of Cascavel, Paraná, as well as their impact on health conditions, consumption patterns, and political and ideological life. Method: cross-sectional observational design. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews conducted from December 2019 to December 2020 with 128 participants who were Haitian immigrants residing in the municipality. Simple descriptive statistics were used for the data analysis, and the findings were discussed in conjunction with relevant literature, with the social determination theory serving as a reference. Results: The majority of participants were male 75.0% (n = 96), young adults 71.0% (n = 91), speakers of two or more languages 87.5% (n = 112), catholic 61.7% (n = 79), high school education or higher 57.0% (n = 73). They consider their life and health conditions good but are unsatisfied with the working conditions and salary. Conclusion: Haitian immigrants’ arrival facilitation to work in cold stores may indicate labor exploitation of economically and socially vulnerable groups. Immigration policies and the recognition of the educational level of their country of origin may contribute to improving the living condition of this population.

Eating Bodies: Edwidge Danticat’s The Farming of Bones

ABSTRACT: This essay exposes the imagery of cannibalism as a critique of unfettered consumption and greed at the root of the exploitative structures in The Farming of Bones (1998). The essay contends that the symbolic tapestry of Edwidge Danticat’s second novel is woven around metaphors of consumption and excretion. In a bid to unpack the inner workings of a plantation system that reduced human beings to commodities, I tease out the novel’s layered reflection on these metaphors and their meaning. I demonstrate that the purported menace posed by Haitian immigrants in the Dominican Republic is but a deflection of the violence exerted on working bodies on a constant basis. A scheme that serves to mask the assault and plunder that are commonplace, the ascription of malevolent intent onto the immigrants strips them of their humanity and justifies their expulsion from the national territory. I further expose the strategies used by the exploited to counter the consuming carnage and restore dignity.

Ways of living and working of Haitian immigrants in Western Paraná/Brazil

RESUMO Objetivo: Analisar o processo migratório, os modos de vida e trabalho de haitianos que residem no município de Cascavel-Paraná e suas expressões nas condições de saúde, no padrão de consumo e na vida política e ideológica. Método: Pesquisa observacional transversal. A coleta de dados se deu por meio de entrevista semiestruturada, de dezembro de 2019 a dezembro de 2020 com 128 participantes, imigrantes haitianos residentes no município. Para análise, utilizou-se estatística descritiva simples, discutidos com a literatura pertinente, tendo como referencial a teoria da determinação social. Resultados: A maioria dos participantes foi da população masculina 75,0% (n = 96), adultos jovens 71,0% (n = 91), falam duas línguas ou mais 87,5% (n = 112), de religião católica 61,7% (n = 79), com escolaridade de nível médio ou acima 57,0% (n = 73). Consideram boas suas condições de vida e saúde, mas estão insatisfeitos com as condições de trabalho e salário. Conclusão: O favorecimento da vinda de imigrantes haitianos para atuarem em frigoríficos da região, pode indicar exploração do trabalho de grupos vulneráveis econômica e socialmente. Políticas de integração e o reconhecimento da formação escolar do país de origem, podem contribuir para melhorar a condição de vida desta população.