Latinx Immigrants Research Articles

Bureaucratic Incorporation or Abdication? Public Health with Latinx Immigrants in New Destinations

ABSTRACT Latinx immigrants in new destinations – small communities with fast-growing immigrant populations – present challenges for human service agencies lacking the bilingual professionals and experience required to serve them. This study examined public health administrators’ efforts to serve Latinx immigrants by relying upon dedicated, but overwhelmed, para- and non-professional bilingual staff. Administrators, led by their professional values, spurred agency responses in spite of local leaders’ limited support for immigrants. These findings suggest that administrators in new destinations lead the way in serving new Latinx residents. Yet, administrators’ reliance on para-and non-professional bilingual staff to meet the needs of this vulnerable population generates questions about the quality of care immigrants received from a largely non-professional workforce.

Epigenetic Age Associates with Psychosocial Stress and Resilience in Children of Latinx Immigrants

Aim: To investigate associations of psychosocial stressors and resilience factors with DNA methylation age in thesaliva of Latinx children of immigrants before and after the 2016 presidential election (2015-2018). Materials & methods: We compared psychosocial exposures with four distinct measures of epigenetic age assessed in thesaliva of children (6-13years, n=71 pre-election; n=35 post-election). Exploratory genome-wide analyses were also conducted. Results: We found distinct associations acrossepigenetic clocks and time points;for example, greater maternal social status pre-election and fear of parent deportation post-election both associated with decreased Hannum age(p ≤ 0.01). Conclusion:Although limited in size, our unique study design provides novel hypotheses regarding how thesocial environment may influence epigenetic aging and genome-wide methylation, potentially contributing to racial/ethnic health inequalities.

Hypertension, diabetes and poverty among Latinx immigrants in New York City: implications for COVID-19

PurposeThe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has affected Latinx immigrant neighborhoods in New York City (NYC) disproportionately. Poverty, hypertension and diabetes have been associated with adverse COIVD-19 outcomes. This study aims to assess the prevalence of these COVID-19 vulnerabilities among Latinx immigrants in NYC.Design/methodology/approachData were obtained from the 2018 New York City Community Health Survey. The relation between Latinx immigrant status and study outcomes was assessed in univariate and multivariable regression models.FindingsLatinx immigrants were 1.3 times (95% confidence interval: 1.2–1.5) more likely to have hypertension and 2.5 times (95% confidence interval: 1.9–3.2) to have diabetes, compared to the US-born Whites after adjusting for age. They were 46.5 times (95% confidence interval: 24.3–88.8) more likely to live in a neighborhood with high poverty, eight times more likely (95% confidence interval: 5.5–11.6) not to have had enough food in the previous six months and 1.4 times more likely (95% confidence interval: 1.2–1.6) to lack health insurance coverage, compared to the US-born Whites.Practical implicationsThese findings highlight the greater vulnerabilities of Latinx immigrants in NYC to COVID-19 in the year prior to the pandemic. Poverty, food insecurity, hostile immigration policies and lack of access to health care exacerbate health disparities among Latinx immigrants in NYC.Originality/valueThis study provides a public health perspective for understanding the association of health disparities and socioeconomic conditions of Latinx immigrants in NYC.

“They Are Doers”: Writing to Advocate With Immigrant Youth in Community‐Based Organizations

AbstractOver the course of a year, student authors in the Juntos NC Writing Project participated in the Literary and Community Initiative to write, publish, and share their lived experiences and identities as Latinx immigrants and first‐generation high school students in North Carolina. Throughout the publication process of their collaborative bilingual book titled The Voices of Our People: Nuestras Verdades, student authors actively engaged in pursuing advocacy and activism in three ways: (1) community space as an intentional space for advocacy, (2) writing as a vehicle for collective advocacy, and (3) publishing and sharing as an opportunity for youth activism. The participants’ words and actions demonstrated how youth in community organizations can use literacy practices to collectively advocate for their community and become activists who write about and vocalize immigrant youth’s strengths and needs.

Directional Effects in Cultural Identity: A Family Systems Approach for Immigrant Latinx Families.

Although there is a substantial body of work focusing on the processes underlying cultural identity in general, less is known regarding how these processes might operate within the context of Latinx families. Moreover, among the limited research that has included the adolescent and caregiver cultural identity, most of the research has primarily focused on how caregivers influence their adolescent's cultural identity. In the present study, the directional pathways between recently immigrated adolescents' and caregivers' ethnic and U.S. identity belonging were examined using data from a longitudinal study of acculturation and identity development among recently arrived Latinx immigrant families. The sample consisted of 302 primary caregivers (Mage = 41.09, SD = 7.13 at baseline; 67.5% mothers) and their adolescents (Mage = 14.51, SD = 0.88 at baseline; 46.7% female). The results indicated that caregivers' ethnic identity belonging significantly predicted adolescents' ethnic identity belonging over time. At the same time, adolescents' ethnic identity negatively predicted caregivers' ethnic identity belonging over time, whereas adolescents' U.S. identity belonging positively predicted caregivers' later ethnic identity belonging. The findings indicate that immigrant caregivers may retain their native culture to direct and respond to their children's changing cultural identifications.

There and Back Again: A Commentary on Social Welfare Policy in the Wake of 2020

There and Back Again: A Commentary on Social Welfare Policy in the Wake of 2020

Fear of discovery as a deterrent to undocumented Latinx immigrants' reporting of crimes and the effects of political rhetoric.

Comparing undocumented Latinx immigrants (UDLI), Latinx citizens/residents (LCR), and non-Latinx citizens/residents (NLCR), we sought to assess rates of crime victimization, fear of reporting crimes, causes of this fear, and whether political rhetoric from the U.S. President had changed the reporting of crimes. From October 2018 to February 2020, we conducted this in-person survey study, enrolling similar numbers of UDLI, LCR, and NLCR patients at two urban county hospital emergency departments (EDs) in San Francisco and Oakland, California. Our primary outcomes were responses to key survey questions regarding crime victimization, fear of reporting crimes and the effects of anti-immigrant rhetoric on reporting crimes. Of 667 patients approached, 531 (80%) participated and six participants were excluded: 165 (31.3%) were UDLI, 183 (34.7%) were LCR, and 177 (33.6%) were NLCR. Similar percentages of UDLI (34%), LCR (32%), and NLCR (39%) knew of someone (themselves, friends, or family) who was a victim of a crime. Similar percentages of UDLI (41%), LCR (46%), and NLCR (41%) stated that these victims were afraid to report this crime to the police. The primary reason for this fear in UDLI was fear of discovery and deportation (30%). Similar percentages of UDLI (63%), LCR (58%), and NLCR (46%) ultimately reported the crime to the police. Most (85%) respondents had heard the U.S. President's statements about measures against immigrants; 54% reported that they believe that because of these statements, people are more afraid to report a crime to the police. Fear of reporting crimes is common in ED patients. The most common fear in UDLI is fear of discovery and deportation. Political rhetoric against immigrants contributes to this fear.

Community Testing and SARS-CoV-2 Rates for Latinxs in Baltimore

Latinxs have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Latinx immigrants, in particular, face significant barriers to SARS-CoV-2 testing, including lack of insurance, language barriers, stigma, work conflicts, and limited transportation. In response to a disproportionately high SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate among Latinxs at the Johns Hopkins Health System, investigators implemented free community-based testing by partnering with religious leaders and leveraging the skill of trusted community health workers. Data were extracted from the electronic health record and a Research Electronic Data Capture database. SARS-CoV-2 positivity was evaluated per event stratified by race/ethnicity. Total rates of SARS-CoV-2 positivity and categorical patient characteristics were compared between groups using chi-square tests. Between June 25, 2020 and October 15, 2020, a total of 1,786 patients (57.5% Latinx, 31.2% non-Hispanic White, 5.9% non-Hispanic Black, and 5.3% non-Hispanic other) were tested for SARS-CoV-2 in 18 testing events. Among them, 355 (19.9%) tested positive. The positivity rate was 31.5% for Latinxs, 7.6% for non-Hispanic Blacks, 3.4% for non-Hispanic Whites, and 5.3% for patients of other races/ethnicities. Compared with Latinxs who tested negative, Latinxs who tested positive were more likely to report Spanish as their preferred language (91.6% vs 81.7%, p<0.001), be younger (30.4 vs 33.4 years, p<0.008), and have a larger household size (4.8 vs 4.3 members, p<0.002). Community-based testing identified high levels of ongoing SARS-CoV-2 transmission among primarily Latinxs with limited English proficiency. During this period, the overall positivity rate at this community testing site was almost 10 times higher among Latinxs than among non-Hispanic Whites.

S\xf3lo Se Vive Una Vez: Evaluation of a Social Marketing Campaign Promoting HIV Screening and Prevention for Immigrant Latinxs

Latinxs in the U.S. are disproportionately affected by HIV and more likely to have delayed diagnosis than their non-Latinx peers. We developed and implemented Sólo Se Vive Una Vez (You Only Live Once), the first Spanish-language campaign aimed at improving HIV testing and prevention among Latinx immigrants in Baltimore, Maryland. Sólo Se Vive Una Vez featured a website (www.solovive.org) and social marketing campaign promoting free HIV testing through the Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) clinic and Latinx outreach team. The campaign was not associated with a change in the overall number of Latinxs obtaining HIV testing. However, Latinx HIV testers who reported being exposed to the campaign had significantly higher rates of high-risk sexual behaviors, mean number of sexual partners, and substance use. The campaign was also associated with increased PrEP referrals through the BCHD Latinx outreach team.

COVID-19 Pandemic Among Immigrant Latinx Farmworker and Non-farmworker Families: A Rural-Urban Comparison of Economic, Educational, Healthcare, and Immigration Concerns.

COVID-19 has revealed social and health inequities in the United States. Structural inequalities have increased the likelihood of immigrants contracting COVID-19, by being essential workers and through poverty that forces this population to continue working. Rural and urban immigrant families may face different concerns. Using a telephone survey in May 2020 of 105 Latinx families in an existing study, quantitative and qualitative data were gathered on work and household economics, childcare and education, healthcare, and community climate. Analyses show that, although rural and urban groups experienced substantial economic effects, impacts were more acute for urban families. Rural workers reported fewer workplace protective measures for COVID-19. For both groups, fear and worry, particularly about finances and children, dominated reports of their situations with numerous reports of experiencing stress and anxiety. The experience of the pandemic is interpreted as an example of contextual vulnerability of a population already experiencing structural violence through social injustice. Policy implications are highlighted.

Impact of pre-migration assets and pre-migration trauma on acculturative stress among recent Latinx immigrant young adults

ABSTRACT Background Pre-migration trauma is associated with adverse mental health outcomes among Latinx immigrants. Pre-migration assets like family cohesion and social support may promote positive mental health outcomes in this population. The current study aims to identify the cumulative and interaction effects of pre-migration trauma, social support, and family cohesion on acculturative stress among recent Latinx immigrants (RLIs). Method The current study utilizes baseline data from an on-going longitudinal study following 540 RLIs during their initial 3 years in the U.S. Simple main effects of the predictor variables on acculturative stress were estimated using hierarchical multiple regression (HMR). Predictor variables were entered into the HMR model as follows: (1) demographic variables were entered in the first block, (2) family cohesion and social support in the second block and (3) pre-migration trauma in the third block. Interaction effects between family cohesion and social support on the association between pre-migration trauma and acculturative stress were examined. Results Results showed that 20.6% of the variance of acculturative stress was explained by the predictor variables entered into the HMR model. The first predictor block included demographic variables and explained 13.5% of the variability in acculturative stress, R 2 = 13.5, F(6, 521) = 13.55, p < .001. The second block added family cohesion and social support to the HMR model and showed an ΔR 2 of 4.5%, R 2 = 18.0, F(8, 519) = 14.22, p < .001. The third block added pre- migration trauma to the HMR model and showed an ΔR 2 change of 2.6%, R 2 = 20.6, F(9, 518) = 14.93, p < .001. Significant interaction effects were found for family cohesion among documented RLIs. Social support was not a significant moderator. Conclusion Study findings suggest pre-migration resources such as family cohesion and social support may ameliorate post-immigration acculturative stress among RLI, while pre-migration trauma, may exacerbate acculturative stress.

College and Career Ready and Critically Conscious: Asset-Building With Latinx Immigrant Youth

A growing body of evidence supports critical consciousness as a developmental asset for young people, including its benefits for educational and vocational outcomes. National dynamics and policies in the U.S., such as restricting immigration and asylum, have raised the salience of critical consciousness as a protective factor for the career development of Latinx immigrant youth. In this manuscript, we first review the nature and benefits of critical consciousness for Latinx immigrant youth. We then highlight how college and career readiness (CCR) and the components of critical consciousness (CC) can be simultaneously fostered among Latinx immigrant high school students, drawing upon our own work in the context of an afterschool program. We introduce a framework to illustrate this integration, and describe a series of intervention activities and processes designed to simultaneously build CC and CCR. Finally, we provide recommendations and describe caveats and challenges to developing classroom-based career education curricula that integrate CCR and CC.

UNDERSTANDING FEAR OF DEPORTATION AND ITS IMPACT ON HEALTHCARE ACCESS AMONG IMMIGRANT LATINX MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN.

Fear of deportation and its relationship to healthcare access has been less studied among immigrant Latinx men who have sex with men (MSM), a population at risk for HIV and characterized by their multiple minority statuses. The first step is to accurately measure their fear of deportation. We used an exploratory sequential mixed methods design. Eligibility criteria were that research participants be ages 18-34 years; Latinx; cisgender male; having had sex with another male; residing in the District of Columbia metro area; and not a US citizen or legal permanent resident. In Study 1, we used in-depth interviews and thematic analysis. Using participants' interview responses, we inductively generated 15 items for a fear of deportation scale. In Study 2, we used survey data to assess the scale's psychometric properties. We conducted independent samples t-test on the associations between scale scores and barriers to healthcare access. For the 20 participants in Study 1, fear of deportation resulted in chronic anxiety. Participants managed their fear through vigilance, and behaviors restricting their movement and social network engagement. In Study 2, we used data from 86 mostly undocumented participants. The scale was internally consistent (α = 0.89) and had a single factor. Those with higher fear of deportation scores were significantly more likely to report avoiding healthcare because they were worried about their immigration status (p = 0.007). We described how fear of deportation limits healthcare access for immigrant Latinx MSM. Future research should examine fear of deportation and HIV risk among immigrant Latinx MSM.

Chronic Pain and Psychological Distress Among Undocumented Latinx Immigrants in the USA

Undocumented immigration is often accompanied by multiple and complex stressors, which over time may increase the risk for chronic pain. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of chronic pain and its association with psychological distress among undocumented Latinx immigrants in the USA. We used respondent-driven sampling to collect and analyze data from clinical interviews with 254 undocumented Latinx immigrants, enabling inference to a population of 22,000. Chronic pain was assessed using the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) Chronic Conditions Module. For all analyses, inferential statistics accounted for design effects and sample weights to produce weighted estimates. We conducted logistic regression analyses to assess the association between chronic pain and psychological distress after controlling for age, years in the USA, and history of trauma. A total of 28% of undocumented Latinx immigrants reported having chronic pain, and 20% of those had clinically significant psychological distress. Significant differences in the prevalence of chronic pain were reported across age groups, years in the USA, and trauma history. After controlling for relevant covariates, chronic pain was significantly associated with psychological distress (OR = 1.06, 95% CI [1.02, 1.09]), age (OR = 1.05, 95% CI [1.02; 1.09]), and history of trauma (OR = 1.10 per additional traumatic event, 95% CI [1.02; 1.19]; C-statistic = 0.79). Among undocumented Latinx immigrants, chronic pain is significantly associated with psychological distress, older age, and trauma history. Given that undocumented immigrants have restricted access to healthcare and are at high risk for chronic pain, developing alternatives to facilitate access to chronic pain interventions and risk-reduction prevention are needed.

Resisting the racialization of medical deservingness: How Latinx nurses produce symbolic resources for Latinx immigrants in clinical encounters.

This paper investigates how Latinx nurses resisted the racialization of medical un-deservingness against co-ethnic immigrants in everyday clinical encounters. Drawing on 26 in-depth interviews and dialoguing with the literature on minority professionals, we find that, as a form of racialized equity work, Latinx nurses produced certain symbolic resources, specifically the interactional signals to counteract Latinx patients' internalization of un-deservingness and other medical staff's open hostility towards these "undeserving illegals." Latinx nurses hybridized neoliberal norms (self-sufficiency and responsibility) and social justice values (including healthcare as a universal right and compassion for members of the community): they emphasized Latinx immigrants' efforts at "becoming" self-sufficient and clinically responsible, debunked the relevance of citizenship to a right to healthcare, and highlighted their communal bonds with co-ethnic patients. Meanwhile, accentuating these communal bonds revealed hefty loads of previously self-censored healthcare needs among Latinx patients, which compelled Latinx nurses to reassert some professional boundaries. Whereas some Latinx nurses were able to engage in "moralized boundary-drawing," others experienced setting professional boundaries as "demoralizing boundary-drawing," which resulted in burnout, disillusionment, or internalized racism. Our findings indicate that the path to de-racializing medical deservingness needs to be multi-tiered. Latinx nurses' racialized equity work of generating symbolic resources for Latinx immigrants is only sustainable if supported by non-Latinx colleagues' cross-ethnic equity work. Furthermore, everyday resistance in clinical encounters is necessarily incomplete unless state-level policy initiatives transform the currency of symbolic capital for medical deservingness.

Supplemental Material for Risk and Protective Markers for Well-Being in Latinx Immigrants in Removal Proceedings

Supplemental Material for Risk and Protective Markers for Well-Being in Latinx Immigrants in Removal Proceedings

THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN BEHAVIORAL AND ATTITUDINAL ACCULTURATION ON LATINX IMMIGRANTS AND U.S.-BORN LATINXS: A MULTIDIMENSIONAL ACCULTURATION MODEL.

Disparities in access and utilization of substance abuse treatment (SAT) among Latinxs, accentuated by this population's rapid growth, create a public health issue. Although substance abuse literature has given more consideration to environmental factors and social support concerning treatment outcomes, current substance abuse models fail to address important contextual and cultural aspects for Latinxs in recovery, including acculturation. The proposed study aims to test out a multidimensional acculturation model on a sample of 131 Latinxs (Mage= 36.3; SD±10.4, 117 males, 49% immigrants) who recently completed SAT. Specifically, the proposed study employed a conditional process model using the PROCESS Macro for SPSS to examine the association between behavioral acculturation and substance use behavior in the past six months on nativity status at different levels of attitudinal acculturation. Results yielded that, after controlling for age and substance use, higher endorsement of U.S. mainstream cultural practices was associated with a higher frequency of days using alcohol among Latinx immigrants, specifically those reporting high and very high affiliation to the U.S. mainstream culture. Also, a negative association between U.S. mainland-born Latinx and frequency of days using illicit drugs in the past six months was observed, but only among those who endorse very high affiliation of U.S. mainstream culture.

Community health workers promote perceived social support among Latino men: Respaldo

Promotores or community health workers are trusted community members who offer information and support to marginalized groups in society. Latinx immigrants in new growth communities or emerging communities (areas with a small yet growing Latinx population) confront many challenges in their settling processes. De la Mano con la Salud was a community-based participatory project that trained Latino immigrant men as promotores. Promotores recruited 182 Latino immigrant men helped them to attain their own goals, connected them with health and social services and connected them to the larger community. We present data from 23 in-depth interviews with project participants conducted after six months of enrollment. Qualitative analysis confirmed participants’ vulnerabilities and showed that promotores addressed many of the health, legal, and occupational needs of participants. Emerging themes showed that 1) participants had a thirst for a united Latinx community; and 2) felt that promotores had their back (respaldo). The need for community may reflect the current invisibility of this Latinx population, as well as the desires for recognition and ethnic identity affirmation. Respaldo strongly resembles perceived social support, which is the kind of support most associated with health outcomes. Future research can determine what intervention components best foster respaldo.

Relative Privilege, Risk, and Sense of Community: Understanding Latinx Immigrants' Empowerment and Resilience Processes Across the United States.

Latinx immigrants regularly navigate adversity and oppression through resilience and empowerment; however, little research has sought to delineate when, how, and why they may engage in either process. Through the Transtheoretical Model of Empowerment and Resilience, this paper examines how Latinx immigrants living in distinct U.S. contexts interact with their communities. Seventy-three Latinx immigrants (ages 18 to 70, M=40.85, SD=13.65) participated in 12 focus groups in Albuquerque, NM; Maricopa County, AZ; Baltimore, MD; and Richmond, VA. Participants had lived in the United States for less than 1 to 39years (M=14.19, SD=8.72) and had varying immigration statuses. Analyses revealed that empowerment and resilience goals diverged by individuals' beliefs in the degree to which external change was vital, possible, and theirs to attempt. Beliefs coincided with the fundamental risk posed, based on the interaction of a context's conditions with an individual's characteristics and sense of community. Results indicate that while resilience is important to navigate risky settings, it may uphold oppressive power structures because it is consistent with the status quo. Interventions to spur external change should involve empowering processes, including facilitating gains in relative privilege and fostering sense of community.

The Role of Age, Political Affiliation, and Framing in Attitudes Toward Hispanic and Latinx Immigrants

The United States is experiencing rapid aging and increasing racial and ethnic diversity. Nevertheless, political rhetoric about immigrants has stoked negative assumptions and beliefs adding to fear and cultural misperceptions. Among those most affected are people of Hispanic/LatinX ethnicity, who comprise approximately 18% of the population. To address negative stereotypes, we sought to test how framing affected attitudes about Hispanic/LatinX immigrants and how people in different generations across the political spectrum respond to framing. As part of the “Latinos and Economic Security (LES),” a national research project funded by the Ford Foundation, we launched the “Well Being 501 Latino Economic Security” survey through the American Life Panel of RAND Corporation in 2018. Before answering the survey questions, participants (n=739) were randomly assigned to three different conditions: a 100-word priming statement focused on Hispanic/LatinX work ethic/religiosity/patriotism (33.29%), a 100-word priming statement focused on justice/equity/fairness (32.75%), and a control group with no priming statement (33.96%). We used multiple linear regression to examine relationships among demographic variables, age, political affiliation, and priming statements and attitudes toward Hispanic/LatinX immigrants. Key findings include: 1) age, political affiliation, education level, race and ethnicity, and gender explained 47.5% of the variance in attitudes; 2) baby boomers and generation X were significantly less tolerant of Hispanic/LatinX; 3) priming statements played a salient mediating role in neutralizing negative attitudes. By employing a developmental perspective, we proposed six recommendations from the aspects of reframing policy narrative and developing educational programs targeted at improving attitudes toward Hispanic/LatinX immigrants.