Recent Immigrants Research Articles

Provocation and the Reasonable Asian: Applying the Reasonable Person Standard to Asian Defendants Asserting the Provocation Defense

AbstractThis Article examines the criminal law defense of provocation in the U.S., which employs an objective reasonable person standard, as applied to recent Asian immigrants. It discusses approaches taken in other countries and describes the cultural defense. The Article concludes with different possibilities for a hypothetical Asian defendant who was provoked: Improving education about U.S. laws as a preventative measure, using expert cultural witnesses at trial, and taking the defendant’s characteristics into consideration during the sentencing stage.

Chronic diarrhea secondary to intestinal spirochetosis, should we think about it?

Abstract Human intestinal spirochetosis (HIS) is defined as a colonization of the apical membrane of the colonic mucosa and the appendix by spirochetes. It is a very rare finding, being more common in some populations (individuals living in villages and peri-urban environments in developing countries, recent immigrants from developing countries, men who have sex with other men and HIV positive patients), but the spirochete rarely is investigated as human enteric potential microorganism. It is a slow-growing microorganism and has specialized growth requirements, which is why it is not detectable in human fecal samples using routine diagnostic methods. However, it has been histologically identified attached to the colon and rectum in patients with conditions such as chronic diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and/or nonspecific abdominal discomfort. In this article we present the case of a patient with chronic diarrhea secondary to intestinal spirochetosis, highlighting the importance of considering this etiology in the differential diagnosis.

Examining the Relationship Between Immigrant Residential Segregation and Access to Healthcare

ABSTRACT As a result of recent immigration, the United States is becoming more racially and ethnically diverse. Since immigrants have added some new dimensions to the segregation picture within their ethnic/immigrant communities, it is important to understand their travel behaviour. Despite the recent research studies examining access to job opportunities in foreign-born neighborhoods versus U.S.-born neighborhoods, little has been done regarding spatial disparities in access to healthcare facilities. Accordingly, the present study investigates the disparities in the accessibility of Minnesota immigrant neighborhoods to healthcare facilities. Different neighborhoods are therefore distinguished according to their immigrant composition and median household income. The results reveal that compared to White neighborhoods, ethnic/immigrant neighborhoods are more physically accessible. Even so, low-income immigrant neighborhoods tend to have maximum access to healthcare facilities.

Perceptions of mental health and illness amongst Australian Ismaili Muslim youth

ABSTRACT Objective Extant research on mental health within Muslim communities reveals inequalities, with religio-cultural beliefs viewed as influencing experience, access to care, and treatment outcomes. Additionally, religious affiliation is a prominent marker of social identity amongst Muslim migrant communities. This study examined whether acculturative approaches and identity influence perceptions of mental ill health within a Muslim migrant community. Method Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 Australian Muslim youth – six of whom were recent immigrants and five who were Australian-born/raised. Data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results Two main themes were identified: 1) making sense of mental health, and 2) the influence of social representations. Sub-themes included: 1a) defining mental health, 1b) perceived determinants, 2a) “emotional” vs “factual”, and 2b) education through experience: personal encounters with mental illness. Conclusion Overall, faith and religion played an important role in conceptualisations of mental health for young Australian Muslims – alluding to the necessity of faith-sensitive mental health services for ethnic and religious minority communities.

Health Care Access and Utilization and the Latino Health Paradox.

The Latino health paradox is the phenomenon whereby recent Latino immigrants have, on average, better health outcomes on some indicators than Latino immigrants who have lived in the United States longer and US-born Latinos and non-Latino Whites. This study examined whether the paradox holds after accounting for health care access and utilization. The 2019-2020 National Health Interview Survey data were used. The main predictors included population groups of foreign-born and US-born Latinos (Mexican or non-Mexican) versus US-born non-Latino Whites. Predicted probabilities of health outcomes (self-reported poor/fair health, overweight/obesity, hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and depression) were calculated and stratified by length of residence in the United States (<15 or ≥15 years) among foreign-born Latinos and sex (female or male). Multivariable analyses adjusted for having a usual source of care other than the emergency department, health insurance, a doctor visit in the past 12 months, predisposing and enabling factors, and survey year. After adjusting for health care access, utilization, and predisposing and enabling factors, foreign-born Latinos, including those living in the United States ≥15 years, had lower predicted probabilities for most health outcomes than US-born non-Latino Whites, except overweight/obesity and diabetes. US-born Latinos had higher predicted probabilities of overweight/obesity and diabetes and a lower predicted probability of depression than US-born non-Latino Whites. In this national survey, the Latino health paradox was observed after adjusting for health care access and utilization and predisposing and enabling factors, suggesting that, although these are important factors for good health, they do not necessarily explain the paradox.

Immigration and Asylum Policy after Brexit: An Introduction

AbstractThis special collection examines how immigration and asylum policies have evolved since Britain left the European Union. The referendum was won on the promise of ‘taking back control’, yet, since Brexit, immigration has increased to record levels and the nationalities of people coming to the UK have become more diverse. The increase in immigration was driven by a liberalisation of work and study visas and the creation of new humanitarian schemes. Although some aspects of immigration policy have evolved in a liberal direction, others have become increasingly restrictive. The Conservative government has pursued a draconian agenda on asylum, borders and irregular migration, including a scheme to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, and legislation that effectively abolishes the right to seek asylum in the UK. This introduction argues that recent immigration and asylum policies reflect the ambivalent, unstable and unresolved meanings of Brexit itself.

Centering Educators’ Voices in the Development of Professional Learning for Data-Rich, Place-Based Science Instruction

This self-reflective case study describes our project team’s efforts to promote equity in science professional learning (PL) by centering the voices of educators in the PL design process and within the course itself. We believe that educators’ experiences, priorities, and expertise are essential to developing professional learning that meets the needs of teachers and their students. We have a particular interest in amplifying the voices of those in historically underrepresented communities. Toward that end, we engaged science educators who work with Indigenous students and recent immigrants as collaborators in developing PL to support data-rich, place-based Earth Science instruction. In this case study, we share and critique the practices and tools that we have employed to center educator voices, rather than those of the PL designers and researchers. Our strategies for developing more equitable science professional learning include the use of: (a) equity-focused research methods, such as asset-based needs-sensing questions and peer-to-peer interviews; (b) a humanistic stance toward data-rich science learning, which emphasizes the typically unnamed sociocultural inputs and outputs that permeate all aspects of data; (c) a participatory design process that centers educators’ voices; and (d) a model of professional learning that uses representations of educator and student experiences as objects for reflection.

Who has access to cycling infrastructure in Canada? A social equity analysis

Canadian cities have made significant investments in cycling infrastructure to support uptake in active transportation. Who has spatial access to supportive infrastructure is an important equity question: lack of access to safe infrastructure for cycling may limit who has an option to use a bicycle to meet their transportation needs (to access employment, educational, social, or other essential services) as well as who may achieve the physical and mental health benefits possible through physical activity. Our aim is to measure spatial access to cycling infrastructure in Canadian cities, and to provide a broad, national understanding of inequitable access to cycling infrastructure for equity-deserving populations (children, seniors, recent immigrants, visible minorities, and people with low incomes). Accordingly, we used a national dataset of cycling infrastructure (Can-BICS), which summarizes the quantity of cycling infrastructure for all dissemination areas in Canada, and 2016 Census data to estimate associations between area-level sociodemographic characteristics and access to cycling infrastructure. In unadjusted associations, equity-deserving groups (i.e., recent immigrants and people with low incomes) had better access to cycling infrastructure. Pearson coefficients highlighted variations in the equity of cycling infrastructure across cities. Overall, access was more equitable across equity-deserving groups in large cities, compared to mid-sized and small cities. After adjusting for covariates related to urban form and mode share, access to cycling infrastructure was higher in areas with more seniors, more recent immigrants, more visible minorities, and more people with low incomes, but lower in areas with more children. More importantly, there are still a substantial number of people from equity-deserving groups living in areas with very low levels of cycling infrastructure. For example, ∼ 1.5 million children under the age of 14 (31% of children), 1.5 million older adults (31%), 1.4 million visible minorities, and 0.5 million people with low income (20%) live in dissemination areas with the lowest level of cycling infrastructure. These results highlight the need to understand which populations stand to gain by cycling infrastructure investments and which populations are being left behind. This methodology represents a useful tool for information transport policy initiatives to advance bicycle equity at a national scale.

Adherence to Vitamin D Supplementation Recommendations for Breastfed Infants and Young Children: An Analysis of Canadian Community Health Survey Data Cycles From 2015 to 2018

BackgroundIn Canada, nutrition policy, as outlined in the Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants recommendations, includes a daily vitamin D supplement of 10 μg (400 IU) for breastfed infants and young children to support adequate vitamin D status. ObjectivesThis study aimed to report on adherence to vitamin D supplementation recommendations for breastfed infants (≤12 months); and for children breastfed >12 mo. MethodsCanadian Community Health Survey (paired-cycles 2015/2016 and 2017/2018) maternal experiences data for infants born 2012–2018 who received any breastmilk formed the sample (n = 7079). Whether the infant was given a vitamin D supplement (yes/no) and the frequency (daily/almost every day, 1–2/wk, or <1/wk) were surveyed. Weighted data (95% CI) were summarized according to breastfeeding history (exclusive to 6 mo and continuing; partial to 6 mo and continuing; and stopped ≤6 mo). Correlates of supplement adherence were explored using logistic regression. ResultsOverall, 87.1% (95% CI: 85.9%, 88.3%) of participants reported giving their infant (≤12 mo) a vitamin D supplement, and of these, 83.3% (95% CI: 81.9%, 84.7%) did so daily/almost every day, 12.4% (95% CI: 11.1%, 13.7%) did so 1–2/wk, and 4.3% (95% CI: 3.6%, 5.0%) did so <1/wk. Lower adjusted odds of adherence were observed among participants reporting: stopped breastfeeding ≤6 mo, lower education or income, recent immigration, and overweight prepregnancy body mass index; higher odds of adherence were observed in the western provinces. Regarding mothers of children >12 mo and breastfed (n = 2312), 58.0% (95% CI: 54.9%, 61.1%) gave a vitamin D supplement daily/almost every day. ConclusionsAdherence to providing a vitamin D supplement to breastfed infants is high in Canada. Nonetheless, we estimate that ∼27% of mothers are nonadherent to daily/almost every day administration of a vitamin D supplement and that adherence declines in children breastfed >12 mo. Further promotion to support uptake of the current guidance may be necessary, particularly for parents of recent immigration or lower socioeconomic status.

Successful Retention Strategies for Research Targeting Hispanic/Latinx (Including Recent Immigrants) in the Midwest Region of the United States.

Recruiting and retaining Hispanic/Latinx (H/L) participants, specifically undocumented immigrants, is challenging in part because of the mistrust and fear in participating in research studies. Additionally, only a few longitudinal studies describe the recruit and retention strategies among Mexican and Central American immigrants aiming to expand the knowledge base about those underprivileged groups; this was the objective of the 6-year longitudinal VidaSana study. In the present methods report, we specifically omit the presentation of results from the empirical data findings of the VidaSana study: the present report describes the process and offers a subjective appraisal of multiple and complementary approaches in the recruitment and retention strategies for Hispanics living in the Midwest region of the United States, including very recently arrived immigrants. This study was able to effectively recruit and retain (81.7%) a cohort of Mexican and Central American immigrants within a period of 36 months. Our recruitment and retention performance were successful in the context of the hostile environment against immigration that dominated the national landscape at the time of our study. The present methods report of the VidaSana study provides an insightful understanding in recruiting and, in particular, retaining H/Ls and H/L recent immigrants into longitudinal studies.

New Onset Psychosis Complicated by Akathisia and Catatonia in the Context of Recent Immigration.

New Onset Psychosis Complicated by Akathisia and Catatonia in the Context of Recent Immigration.

Into the Stacks: Article Relaunch: “Power and Connection”: “An Indispensable Tool”: Reflections on Imperial Interpretations in Recent Immigration Histories

Published in 2011, Paul Kramer's “Power and Connection: Imperial Histories of the United States in the World,” has become something of a classic text in the historiography of the United States. Twelve years and nearly 400 citations after its publication, historians of the United States who specialize in everything from empire proper to foreign relations to labor and capitalism have looked to this article for methodological grounding, direction, and insight. Countless historians across many subfields have found their work imprinted by Kramer's call for a more systemic and deliberate engagement with the imperial, beyond the “superficial and invocatory” threads of previous generations, such as (though hardly exclusively) those found in the New Left and cultural studies traditions (1348).

Barriers and Lack of Access to Veterinary Care in Canada 2022

Introduction: Despite concerns about access to veterinary care in Canada, there are no previously published national survey data. The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of barriers to veterinary care faced by Canadian dog and cat owners, and to identify associated factors. Methods: This was a national online survey conducted in mid-2022, the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was nationally representative of English and French-speaking Canadian adults as regards region, age, and sex. Results: Eighteen per cent of the respondents (440/2,500) could not access wanted or needed preventative veterinary care in the past 12 months; 12% (305/2,500) could not access sick care; and 8% (195/2,500) could not access emergency care. The most frequent barriers were the inability to afford care (preventative – 124/440, 28% of those who were unable to access care; sick – 75/305, 25%; emergency – 34/195, 17%); and the inability to obtain an appointment (preventative – 95/440, 22% of those who were unable to access care; sick – 80/305, 26%; emergency – 47/195, 24%). Twenty-one per cent (522/2,500) could not access other pet needs, most frequently pet food (43% of those who lacked access); grooming (34%); and training (28%). Recent immigrants (&lt;5 years) and young people (18–34 years old) were more likely to report barriers. Affordability and appointment availability were the two most frequently occurring barriers. Conclusions: This survey identified a large number of pet owners who faced barriers to veterinary care. There is a need for industry leaders, educators and regulators to help support initiatives to expand access to care.

Filling the gap: The unique isotopic niche of medium-sized and large sharks in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea is considered a biodiversity hotspot and hosts a broad diversity of shark species. Unfortunately, many shark populations have suffered a long story of overexploitation and their abundance has strongly declined over the last decades. A few studies have addressed the trophic role of sharks in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea, yet little is known about their isotopic niches. In this study, the isotopic niches of six shark species (Alopias vulpinus, Galeorhinus galeus, Hexanchus griseus, Isurus oxyrinchus, Prionace glauca and Squalus acanthias) from the northwestern Mediterranean Sea were determined and compared with those of sympatric predatory teleosts and marine mammals. Overall, δ13C and δ15N values were similar amongst all the shark species except for the three individuals of G. galeus, whose high δ15N values indicate recent immigration from a distinct area with a different isotopic baseline and hence were excluded from further analysis. The mixing models identified cephalopods as the dominant prey of the other five shark species and revealed that the medium-sized and large shark species studied here filled unique isotopic niches. Their trophic positions were similar to those of predatory teleosts and small dolphins but lower than those of larger dolphins, pilot whales and beaked whales. The high contribution of cephalopods to the diet of sharks in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea might be indicative of fish scarcity and deserves further research in the context of potential ontogenetic diet changes.

A perinatal social nutrition approach to improve breastfeeding in a culturally diverse group of low-income women.

Alima, Perinatal Social Nutrition Centre, is an established community organization that adopts a perinatal social nutrition approach to provide multidimensional support to women living in vulnerable conditions, particularly those with a precarious migratory status. This study aims to (i) determine which maternal characteristics, pregnancy-related variables, and structural features of the Alima intervention are associated with breastfeeding; and (ii) examine whether the association between attending breastfeeding workshops and breastfeeding characteristics differ according to maternal factors. The Alima digital database was used to analyze data from women who received the perinatal intervention between 2013 and 2020. Infant feeding data were retrieved at 2 weeks postpartum (T0, n=2925), 2 months postpartum (T2, n=1475), and 4 months postpartum (T4, n=890). Logistic regressions were used to estimate the odds of overall and exclusive breastfeeding depending on sociodemographic characteristics, pregnancy-related variables, and features of the intervention. The prevalence of overall and exclusive breastfeeding was, respectively, 96.1% and 60.7% at T0; 93.0% and 58.5% at T2; 83.0% and 48.4% at T4. Higher education, previous breastfeeding experience, and recent immigration were associated with a higher likelihood of breastfeeding at each time point. Breastfeeding workshop attendance was associated with a greater likelihood of overall and exclusive breastfeeding at T2 and T4, with a stronger effect among women aged 35 or less, those with lower education, and those with excessive gestational weight gain. In conclusion, the Alima intervention is associated with positive breastfeeding outcomes, especially among vulnerable women living with precarious migratory status in Canada.

A267 RECENT IMMIGRANTS WITH INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE HAVE SIGNIFICANT HEALTH-CARE UTILIZATION FROM PRECONCEPTION TO POSTPARTUM: A POPULATION-BASED COHORT STUDY

Abstract Background Previous studies have demonstrated an increase in health-care utilization, such as hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits, in immigrant people with IBD compared to non-immigrants. This may be even higher from preconception to postpartum due to heightened provider and patient concerns, though this remains to be confirmed. Aims To characterize differences in health-care utilization from preconception to postpartum amongst immigrant and non-immigrant women with IBD. Methods We accessed administrative databases to identify women (age 18-55) with IBD with a singleton pregnancy between 2003-2018. Immigration status was defined as recent (ampersand:003C 5 years of date of conception), remote (ampersand:003E5 years since date of conception), and none. Differences in ambulatory, ED, hospitalization and endoscopic visits during 12-months preconception, pregnancy and 12-months postpartum were characterized. World region of immigration origin was also ascertained. Adequate prenatal care was defined by using the validated R-GINDEX which assesses the date of first prenatal visit and total number of prenatal visits. Multivariable negative binomial regression was used to report adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRR) and modified Poisson regression with quasi-likelihood models and robust error variance procedures were used to report adjusted relative risks (aRR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results 8880 pregnancies were included, 8304 in non-immigrants, 96 in recent immigrants, 480 in remote immigrants. Compared to non-immigrants, recent immigrants had the highest rates of IBD-specific ambulatory visits during preconception (aIRR 3.06, 95% CI, 1.93-4.85), pregnancy (aIRR 2.15, 95% CI, 1.35-3.42), and postpartum (aIRR 2.21, 1.37-3.57) and the greatest rates of endoscopy visits during preconception (aIRR 2.69, 95% CI, 1.64-4.41) and postpartum (aIRR 2.01, 95% CI, 1.09-3.70). There were no differences in ED and hospitalization visits between groups. Compared to non-immigrants, immigrant women were much less likely to have a first trimester prenatal visit (remote: aRR 0.78, 95% CI, 0.65-0.93; recent: aRR 0.61, 95% CI, 0.42-0.88) or receive adequate prenatal care (remote: aRR 0.67, 95% CI, 0.46-0.98; recent: aRR 0.46, 95% CI, 0.22-0.96). Those immigrating from the Americas, Africa, or the Middle East were the most likely to be hospitalized during pregnancy, have a postpartum endoscopy visit, and receive inadequate prenatal care. Conclusions There remain significant disparities in health-care utilization amongst immigrant women with IBD from preconception to postpartum. Health policy endeavors are required to provide standardized and equitable care to all women with IBD during these otherwise high risk periods. Funding Agencies CCC, CIHR

Inequalities in access to prenatal care during the COVID-19 pandemic: Analysis of a population-based cohort.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, access to prenatal care was lower among some socio-demographic groups. This pandemic caused disruptions to routine preventative care, which could have increased inequalities. To investigate if the COVID-19 pandemic increased inequalities in access to prenatal care among those who are younger, live in rural areas, have a lower socio-economic situation (SES) and are recent immigrants. We used linked administrative datasets from ICES to identify a population-based cohort of 455,245 deliveries in Ontario from January 2018 to December 2021. Our outcomes were first-trimester prenatal visits, first-trimester ultrasound and adequacy of prenatal care. We used joinpoint analysis to examine outcome time trends and identify trend change points. We stratified analyses by age, rural residence, SES and recent immigration, and examined risk differences (RD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) between groups at the beginning and end of the study period. For all outcomes, we noted disruptions to care beginning in March or April 2020 and returning to previous trends by November 2020. Inequalities were stable across groups, except recent immigrants. In July 2017, 65.0% and 69.8% of recent immigrants and non-immigrants, respectively, received ultrasounds in the first trimester (RD -4.8%, 95% CI -8.0, -1.5). By October 2020, this had increased to 75.4%, with no difference with non-immigrants (RD 0.4%, 95% CI -2.4, 3.2). Adequacy of prenatal care showed more intensive care as of November 2020, reflecting a higher number of visits. We found no evidence that inequalities between socio-economic groups that existed prior to the pandemic worsened after March 2020. The pandemic may be associated with increased access to care for recent immigrants. The introduction of virtual visits may have resulted in a higher number of prenatal care visits.

Hiding and Seeking: The Educational and Socioemotional Needs of Asylum Seeker and Refugee Students

ABSTRACT Focusing on asylum seeker and refugee students attending a school with the stated mission to cater to recent immigrants, asylees, and refugees in Texas, we explored the school experiences of asylum-seeking and refugee middle schoolers and how they see their education. Having obtained political asylum in the United States, they are hiding from strife in their native lands, but also seeking a schooling experience that will nurture their dreams. We explored that seeking by having students envision their ideal classrooms with a group drawing exercise and then discuss these visions, the experiences that shaped them, and how their current schooling experience compares to their ideal in in-depth interviews. Complementary school data were collected. By focusing on asylum seeker and refugee students, we sought to eschew assimilationist ideologies and to highlight the diversity of experiences and interpretations within this group. We explored the themes found in students’ conceptualizations of their ideals, including the high aspirations students hold, their comparative outlook on education processes, the centrality of relationships to student success, and the conflicted identities students have to negotiate daily.

Contemporary and historical human migration patterns shape hepatitis B virus diversity.

Infection by hepatitis B virus (HBV) is responsible for approximately 296 million chronic cases of hepatitis B, and roughly 880,000 deaths annually. The global burden of HBV is distributed unevenly, largely owing to the heterogeneous geographic distribution of its subtypes, each of which demonstrates different severity and responsiveness to antiviral therapy. It is therefore crucial to the global public health response to HBV that the spatiotemporal spread of each genotype is well characterized. In this study, we describe a collection of 133 newly sequenced HBV strains from recent African immigrants upon their arrival in Belgium. We incorporate these sequences-all of which we determine to come from genotypes A, D, and E-into a large-scale phylogeographic study with genomes sampled across the globe. We focus on investigating the spatio-temporal processes shaping the evolutionary history of the three genotypes we observe. We incorporate several recently published ancient HBV genomes for genotypes A and D to aid our analysis. We show that different spatio-temporal processes underlie the A, D, and E genotypes with the former two having originated in southeastern Asia, after which they spread across the world. The HBV E genotype is estimated to have originated in Africa, after which it spread to Europe and the Americas. Our results highlight the use of phylogeographic reconstruction as a tool to understand the recent spatiotemporal dynamics of HBV, and highlight the importance of supporting vulnerable populations in accordance with the needs presented by specific HBV genotypes.

Energy Insecurity Indicators Associated With Increased Odds Of Respiratory, Mental Health, And Cardiovascular Conditions.

Energy insecurity, defined as the inability to meet household energy needs, has multiple economic, physical, and coping dimensions that affect health. We conducted the first citywide representative survey of energy insecurity and health in a sample of 1,950 New York City residents in 2022. We compiled ten indicators that characterize energy insecurity as experienced in New York City housing settings and then examined associations between number and types of indicators and health conditions. Nearly 30percent of residents experienced three or more indicators, with significantly higher levels among Black non-Latino/a and Latino/a residents compared with White non-Latino/a residents, renters compared with owners, recent immigrants compared with those living in the United States for longer, and those in households with children compared with those with no children. Residents with three or more indicators of energy insecurity had higher odds of respiratory, mental health, and cardiovascular conditions and electric medical device dependence than residents with no indicators. Our study demonstrates that broadening the understanding of energy insecurity with context-specific metrics can help guide interventions and policies that address disparities relevant to health and energy equity.