Immigration Health Archives - Health Behavior and Policy Review

“I Was Afraid to Apply”: Community-based Organizations and Access to SNAP for Latine Immigrant Families with Children

A Fast Track Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.

Authors:

Luisa Cárdenas, MPH, CHES
Maya Scherer, MPH
Mayssa Gregoire, BS
Arline Cruz, BA
Daisy Segarra, BA
Becca Telzak, MPA
Linda Weiss, PhD

Objective:

This study focuses on barriers to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enrollment and retention for Latine immigrant families in New York City and the value of facilitated access to SNAP provided by community-based organizations (CBOs).

Methods:

Between 2021 and 2023, we conducted surveys and interviews with Latine parents of children under 18 who received SNAP-related assistance from a CBO in the past year (250 surveys, 15 interviews). We also conducted interviews with staff from this same CBO (3 interviews with 6 participants).

Results:

Findings underscore the importance of SNAP to immigrant families with low incomes, the specific challenges immigrant families face in accessing the program, and the value of CBOs in facilitating access to SNAP for these families – by providing information, instilling trust, and addressing administrative burdens.

Conclusions:

Current SNAP enrollment and recertification processes create access barriers for eligible immigrants. Potential policy approaches to increase access include adjustments to documentation requirements, including reducing reliance on third parties; coordinated enrollment across benefit programs; improving language services; clarifying eligibility requirements that may cause fear among immigrants; and providing consistent and sufficient funding to CBOs facilitating access.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 11, Number 5, October 2024, pp. 18-31(14)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
Article Link: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.11.5.3

Steven Rowe2024-12-05T22:22:56-07:00November 25th, 2024|Immigration Health|

Barriers to Cervical Cancer Screening among Sub-Saharan African Immigrant Women in the United States: A Qualitative Report

View Full Article

An Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.

Authors:

Ann O. Amuta-Jimenez, PhD
Itunu O. Sokale, MD, DrPH
Lorraine R. Reitzel, PhD

Objective:

Cervical cancer screening can prevent women across all age groups from developing cervical cancer (CC). However, Sub-Saharan African immigrant women (SAIW) sparsely engage in routine CC screening. Thus, developing prevention strategies to improve SAIW’s adherence to recommended CC screening guidelines is critical. To ensure that such strategies are successful, they must meet the needs of the target population. By conducting qualitative interviews with SAIW (N = 15), we aimed to get a deeper understanding of barriers to CC screening receipt.

Methods:

We asked SAIW about barriers to CC screening and possible ideas to facilitate their future screening behavior.

Results:

Our findings revealed that SAIW are especially affected by several major barriers: lack of awareness of CC guidelines, fear/fatalism, lack of resources (eg, a lack of time due to job and family commitment), other resource-related barriers (eg, unreliable mode of transport, and no health insurance), modesty, and overt bias. Participants indicated a preference for female healthcare providers for CC screening and suggested spousal involvement in CC intervention development to foster support.

Conclusions:

The identification of multi-level barriers indicates that multiple strategies are needed to improve the uptake of CC screening among SAIW.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 10, Number 5, October 2023, pp. 1-8(8)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
Article Link: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.10.5.1

Steven Rowe2024-01-12T10:19:49-07:00December 10th, 2023|Cancer, Immigration Health, Women's Health|

School Art Murals Reflecting the Immigrant Experience: A Mixed-methods Social-ecological Approach to Assess Perceptions of Staff and Students

View Full Article

A Fast Track Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.

Authors:

Ross Shegog
Michelle Zhao
Jamila Raja
Evan Shegog
Elizabeth Leass
Aisha Siddiqui

Objective:

The objective of this study was to explore the perceived social-ecological impacts of school-based art mural installations that represented the immigrant and refugee experience in a major urban center in southeast Texas.

Methods:

We adapted surveys (ixia and National School Climate Center) to assess 4 theory-based individual- and community-level constructs with school personnel (N = 9) and students (N = 23) in 3 ethnically diverse inner-city schools in Houston, Texas. Focus groups and interviews captured their perceptions and experiences with the art murals in their own voice.

Results:

Most participants (> 90%) agreed that the art murals were socially valuable to the school community, neighborhood, and interpersonal relationships, in addition to providing increased economic value (p < .01). Participants responded that there were better relationships between the school communities and their neighborhoods and increased school pride. Student reflections and behaviors were commensurate with the murals’ inspirational messages.

Conclusions:

Findings contribute to understanding the benefits of public art in predominantly minority school settings that reflect the immigrant and refugee experience and aspirations for improving health within a community.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
Article Link: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.10.2.1

Steven Rowe2023-06-09T15:04:12-06:00May 22nd, 2023|Community Health, Immigration Health|

Laws and Policies Related to the Health of US Immigrants: A Policy Scan

view Full Article

An Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.
The full article is available as a PDF download.

Authors:

Scott D. Rhodes, PhD, MPH, FAAHB
Lilli Mann-Jackson, MPH
Eunyoung Y. Song, PhD
Mark Wolfson, PhD
Alexandra Filindra, PhD
Mark A. Hall, JD

Objective:

We conducted a policy scan of state and local laws and policies across the United States (US) related to social determinants of health among immigrants.

Methods:

We collected all state and municipal laws and policies in 10 domains that had the potential to affect immigrant health from all 50 US states and the 30 most populous US metropolitan statistical areas. We coded these laws and policies and created an index of restrictiveness and supportiveness of immigrants.

Results:

We identified 539 state and 322 municipal laws and policies. The most common restrictive state laws and policies were in the domains of identification requirements and driver’s license access. The most common supportive state laws and policies were in the domains of health services and higher education access. The most common restrictive municipal laws and policies were in the domains of identification requirements and immigration policy enforcement. The most common supportive municipal laws and policies were in the domains of immigration policy enforcement and health services access.

Conclusion:

Most states had index scores reflecting policy environments that were primarily restrictive of immigrants, indicating potential negative impacts on social determinants of health. Further research examining the impact of these on health behaviors is warranted.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 7, Number 4, July 2020, pp. 314-324(11)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.7.4.4

Steven Rowe2021-04-29T22:20:58-06:00August 21st, 2020|Immigration Health, Law|