Policies and Laws Affecting Mexican-Origin Immigrant Access and Utilization of Substance Abuse Treatment: Obstacles to Recovery and Immigrant Health

Abstract

This article reports the results of a study carried out with 30 Mexican-origin immigrants in drug user treatment in the United States-Mexico Border city of El Paso, Texas during 2007. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were implemented to assess the dynamic social and economic factors that affect the delivery and utilization of treatment services, with emphasis on the impact of recent immigration-related laws and policies. The research provides initial data for evidence-based intervention and reinforces the need for culturally and gender appropriate treatment services for poor immigrants and their families. The study's limitations are noted.

Wanting and Getting Help for Substance Problems on Both Sides of the US-Mexico Border

“…Being an immigrant to the U.S. reduced the likelihood of obtaining help, possibly through heightened challenges related to language, acculturation, documentation status, or unfamiliarity with obtaining U.S. health care [19, 56]. However, including language, generation or acculturation status in the model did not change the results.…”

“…For U.S. residents, whether the respondent had been born in Mexico; for Mexican residents, whether they had any personal or family migration experience to the U.S., including having previously lived in the U.S. for work or study, or having a relative living in the U.S. Foreign-born individuals in the U.S. may have less knowledge of how to access treatment, or be reluctant to do so if they are undocumented [56, 57]. In Mexico, return migrants from the U.S. and family members of migrants are at higher risk for substance use disorders than those with no migrant in their family, and their exposure to U.S. norms and use patterns may also affect how they search for and treat their disorders [41, 58].…”

Immigration policies and mental health morbidity among Latinos: A state-level analysis

“…For example, focus groups in Arizona that included immigrant and non-immigrant men, women, and children demonstrated that U.S.-born children, worried about the possibility that their parents would be deported, experienced trauma and fear as they observed their parents being pulled over; those children described daily stress regarding whether their parents would come home from work (Salas et al, 2013). In addition, immigrant families regularly include individuals with a range of immigration statuses, and there is evidence that the stigma directed towards undocumented immigrants as reflected in exclusionary policies may create suffering among a broader group (Moya & Shedlin, 2008; Santos et al, 2013). Finally, the conflation of Latinos, immigrants, and undocumented immigrants among the general public may also result in discrimination, enacted stigma, or even the misapplication of policies themselves directed toward Latinos who are not undocumented (Viruell-Fuentes, Miranda, & Abdulrahim, 2012).…”

“…National, state, and local policies fit squarely in this categorization. Policies may directly limit access to health insurance, to culturally appropriate healthcare, or to any health care for certain segments of the population (Fountain & Bearman, 2011; Hagan, Rodriguez, Capps, & Kabiri, 2003; Moya & Shedlin, 2008). Policies can also cause harm indirectly, by reproducing and disseminating a language of social exclusion that generates stigma and discrimination (Hatzenbuehler, 2010; Kreitzer, Hamilton, & Tolbert, 2014; Larchanché, 2012; Pacheco, 2013; Willen, 2012) and undermines feelings of belongingness, a core human need (Baumeister & Leary, 1995).…”

Sociopolitical contexts for addiction recovery: Anexos in U.S. Latino communities

“…As with other health services (Ortega et al, 2007; Vargas Bustamante et al, 2012), Latino migrants’ fear of deportation presents a major barrier to accessing SUD treatment (Moya & Shedlin, 2008). When they are unable to access treatment, Latino migrant men are at high risk for occupational accidents (Steinhorst, Dolezal, Jenkins, Snyder, & Rotondo, 2006), intoxicated driving (Caetano, Ramisetty-Mikler, & Rodriguez, 2008), and long-term health consequences including cirrhosis (Caetano, 2003).…”