Mexican Migrant Health Access Lower After U.S. Border Crossing — and Even When They Return to Mexico
Health care access nosedives for Mexican immigrants and migrants once they cross into
The study, published in the
And while roughly 84 percent of Mexican immigrants and migrants were found to have health insurance before they crossed the border, that number fell into the 25 to 50 percent range afterward, the study showed.
Moreover, the ability to get healthcare dropped from 78 percent of all Mexican adults to between 47 and 60 percent once the immigrants/migrants crossed the border.
"Once in the
The study used data on more than 1,500 people from a survey of migrant flows conducted in
"Aspects of health care systems on both sides of the border, such as employer-based health care and minimum-stay requirements for insurance make it difficult for mobile populations to get health care," said
Current estimates place the undocumented immigrant population in
"Traditionally, we have seen higher rates of occupational injuries owing to the more dangerous types of occupations -- like agriculture and construction -- and less regulated conditions under which this population works," Martinez-Donate explained. "In our ongoing analysis, we are also seeing high rates of obesity and self-reported markers of chronic disease, such as diabetes and hypertension, along with depression, stress and at-risk drinking."
All of this can add up when you forgo regular care, which the study showed a higher rate of immigrants and migrants do. Before they left
Additionally, 68 percent of the immigrants/migrants reported having a usual source of care before they left
"The lack of access to care impedes effective treatment and, in the case of infectious diseases, may facilitate their transmission to others," Martinez-Donate explained. "For chronic conditions, like diabetes, the lack of treatment may result in complications and the need for more expensive treatments."
Not only were levels of care below what the immigrants and migrants could have expected to receive in
Martinez-Donate believes that some important changes in policy -- both in the
"Some experts have suggested the development of a portable health insurance program, Matinez-Donate said. "Other options may include expanding eligibility criteria to allow migrants, regardless of immigration status and length of residence, to qualify for the Affordable Care Act and facilitate enrollment in Seguro Popular -- the Mexican insurance program for the unemployed -- if they return."
The study, "Access to Health Care Among Mexican Migrants and Immigrants: A Comparison Across Migration Phases," was also co-authored by Ifna Eebe and
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