Marginalisation, discrimination and the health of Latino immigrant day labourers in a central North Carolina community
Year: 2016
Type: article
Abstract: The morbidity and mortality of Latino immigrants in the United States (US) stem from a complex mix of policy, culture, discrimination and economics. Immigrants working as day labourers may be particularly vulnerable to the negative influences of these social factors due to limited access to social, financial and legal resources. We aimed to understand how the health of male Latino day labourers in North Carolina, US is influenced by their experiences interacting with their community and perceptions of their social environment. To respond to our research questions, we conducted three focus groups (n = 9, n = 10, n = 10) and a photovoice project (n = 5) with Latino male immigrants between October 2013 and March 2014. We conducted a thematic analysis of transcripts from the discussions in the focus groups and the group discussions with Photovoice participants. We found that men's health and well-being were primarily shaped by their experiences and feelings of discrimination and marginalisation. We identified three main links between discrimination/marginalisation and poor health: (i) dangerous work resulted in workplace injuries or illnesses; (ii) unsteady employment caused stress, anxiety and insufficient funds for healthcare; and (iii) exclusionary policies and treatment resulted in limited healthcare accessibility. Health promotion with Latino immigrant men in new settlement areas could benefit from community-building activities, addressing discrimination, augmenting the reach of formal healthcare and building upon the informal mechanisms that immigrants rely on to meet their health needs. Reforms to immigration and labour policies are also essential to addressing these structural barriers to health for these men.
DOI: 10.1111/hsc.12338
Language: English
Topic: Migration, Health and Trauma
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funders: Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, National Institutes of Health, Gillings School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Awards: Carolina Population Center, G1789099407, G1871174730, G2270545241, G3177719516, G339783423, G3511106470, G5404569905, Carolina Population Center, G7291770091, Training in Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV, Population Research Training, Training Program in Substance Use, HIV and Related Infections
OpenAlex ID: W2286578788