Acculturation, Socioeconomic Status, and Health Among Hispanics

Abstract

Acculturation and socioeconomic factors are closely related to nutrition and health outcomes. Greater acculturation among Hispanics (e.g., Mexican Americans) in the United States has been linked to less healthful food intake patterns, elevated exposure to media among children, and increases in the prevalence of cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, and obesity. Conversely, acculturation seems to be associated with several positive health‐related outcomes, such as increases in leisure‐time physical activities, better self‐rated health, and greater access to and utilization of health care services. Health of immigrants with low socioeconomic status (SES) is compromised partially because of less healthful food intake and physical activity patterns, higher obesity rates, limited access to and use of health care services, and environments that limit healthier lifestyle choices. SES and acculturation are interconnected, and lower levels of acculturation might be protective, especially in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, through retention of social norms, social support, and healthier food intake patterns. Socioeconomic conditions at individual and environmental levels seem to modify the associations between acculturation and nutrition‐ and health‐related outcomes, and two immigrant groups appear to be specifically at high risk: those with persistent low SES, and those who later gain purchasing power without educational and social advancements. In addition to the community level interventions and macro level policies, promoting the retention of healthier traditional food intake habits and social support systems, increasing knowledge and skills related to foods and lifestyle in the United States, and improving health and media literacy can be viable primary prevention strategies at the individual and household levels.

Acculturation, nutrition, and health disparities in Latinos

“…Thus, it can be argued that the process of acculturation may increase health disparities in Latinos. In contrast, the acculturation in Latinos has been positively associated with a higher socioeconomic position (SEP), more access to health care, and even some desirable lifestyle behaviors such as leisure-time physical activity (3,8,9,14). Thus, the overall influence of acculturation on health disparity outcomes in Latinos remains unknown.…”

Employment and Family Conditions Are Related to Health Care Utilization Among Foreign-Born Farmworker Men

“…This finding is consistent with a recent study among California farmworkers (Hoerster et al, 2010) and may be caused in part by the support workers receive in Spanish that can break down communication and other access to care barriers (Holmes, 2012;Shi, Tsai, Higgins, & Lebrun, 2009). More broadly, these findings add to recent discussions regarding the limitations of acculturation measures (such as "speaking English") and to understanding health care inequalities between Latino and other immigrant populations (Fitzgerald, 2010;Holmes, 2012;Zambrana & Carter-Pokras, 2010). Zambrana and Carter-Pokras (2010) point out that social and economic circumstances may be more relevant than culture in understanding these inequalities.…”

Understanding “nostalgic inequality”: A critical analysis of barriers to Latinos’ healthy eating practices in the United States

“…Community interventions should go hand in hand with programs and policies aimed at retaining healthier traditional recipes. [23] Our study participants were adamant that their families would not be interested in eating better if that meant moving away from the flavors they were used to. Learning how to prepare traditional recipes and using ingredients that are low in calories and fat were mentioned in all focus groups as an effective way to respect the familiar flavors of traditional foods while honoring their cultures of origin.…”