Cross-border ties and self-rated health status for young Latino adults in Southern California

Jacqueline M. Torres

Social Science & Medicine, 2013, vol. 81, issue C, 79-86

Abstract: At the same time that health researchers have mostly ignored the cross-border nature of immigrant social networks, scholars of immigrant “transnationalism” have left health largely unexamined. This paper addresses this gap by analyzing the relationship between cross-border ties and self-rated health status for young Latino adults living in the greater Los Angeles area (n = 1268). Findings based on an ordered logistic regression analysis suggest that cross-border relationships may have both protective and adverse effects on overall health status. Specifically, those reporting a period of extended parental cross-border separation during childhood have lower odds of reporting better categories of self-rated health, all else equal. Conversely, a significant positive association was found between having a close relative living abroad and self-rated health status for foreign-born respondents when interacted with immigrant generation (foreign versus U.S.-born). Given the findings of significant negative and positive relationships between cross-border ties and self-rated general health status, I discuss the implications for future research on the social determinants of immigrant health.

Keywords: U.S.A.; Latino immigrant health; Cross-border social ties; Self-rated health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:socmed:v:81:y:2013:i:c:p:79-86

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DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.12.012

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