“No one left behind”: A social determinant of health lens to the wellbeing of undocumented immigrants

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Abstract

Undocumented and mixed-status families, in which some, but not all members have an undocumented immigration legal status, often face multiple and chronic stressors that influence their health. Compounded by trauma and limited opportunities, the aforementioned stressors negatively impact the physical and mental health of the undocumented and mixed-status population. This article uses a social determinants of health (SDOH) framework, examining five key domains--economic stability, education, healthcare, the social and community context, and the neighborhood and built environment. Undocumented immigrants face challenging living, social and work environments, have less economic stability, and have restricted access to opportunities. The aforesaid challenges place undocumented and mixed-status families at risk. Strategies are discussed to improve the health outcomes of this vulnerable population.

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Evaluating the impact of immigration policies on health status among undocumented immigrants: a systematic review.

Omar Martinez, Elwin Wu, Theo Sandfort … (2015)

Over the past two decades, new anti-immigration policies and laws have emerged to address the migration of undocumented immigrants. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to assess and understand how these immigration policies and laws may affect both access to health services and health outcomes among undocumented immigrants. Eight databases were used to conduct this review, which returned 325 papers that were assessed for validity based on specified inclusion criteria. Forty critically appraised articles were selected for analysis; thirty articles related to access to health services, and ten related to health outcomes. The articles showed a direct relationship between anti-immigration policies and their effects on access to health services. In addition, as a result of these policies, undocumented immigrants were impacted by mental health outcomes, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Action items were presented, including the promotion of cultural diversity training and the development of innovative strategies to support safety-net health care facilities serving vulnerable populations.