Abstract
This book comes at a critical time in U.S. history. Currently, more than 18% of the U.S. population is Latinx, and by the year 2050, it is estimated that nearly 30% of the population will be Latinx. In our introduction, we first provide definitions and clarifications of the nomenclature used throughout this volume, particularly the use of the pan-ethnic label and identifier, “Latinx”. Next, we describe some of the recent major demographic shifts within the Latinx population in the United States, focusing on the year 2000 to the present, and the implications these shifts have for Latinx health. Third, we outline major cross-cutting themes within this edited volume. We also demonstrate that this volume serves as a critical resource designed to enrich dialogue around the multilevel determinants of Latinx health. We conclude with a call to action for both increased culturally congruent and sound Latinx-focused research and the mentorship of Latinx early-career investigators.
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Notes
- 1.
Chicana/o/x refers to an identity position, a cultural/ethnic group, and political movement that originated in the United States to represent Mexican Americans. Some argue that Chicana/o/x culture and identity were in formation since the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (Anzaldúa, 1987; Aldama & Quiñonez, 2002) when the border between the United States and Mexico was constructed, militarized, medicalized, and racialized. The Chicana/o/x culture became institutionalized in the mid-twentieth century in the southwestern United States as Chicanas/os/x organized for civil rights and economic and social justice and were formulating ethnic studies and scholarship about their political movements, media and expressive culture, language, and identity formation as a marginalized racial/ethnic group. Many still use this term today to identify themselves. However, because it is exclusive to those who are U.S.-born Mexican persons and Mexican-born naturalized U.S. citizens, we do not use it as an umbrella term for all subgroups of Latinx persons.
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Martínez, A.D., Rhodes, S.D. (2020). Introduction: Disentangling Language and the Social Determinants of Latinx Health in the United States. In: Martínez, A., Rhodes, S. (eds) New and Emerging Issues in Latinx Health. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24043-1_1
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