Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health

, Volume 16, Issue 3, pp 329–339 | Cite as

A Transnational Approach to Understanding Indicators of Mental Health, Alcohol Use and Reproductive Health Among Indigenous Mexican Migrants

  • María Luisa Zúñiga
  • Pedro Lewin Fischer
  • Debra Cornelius
  • Wayne Cornelius
  • Shira Goldenberg
  • David Keyes
Original Paper
First Online:

Abstract

The three studies presented in this Special Topics in Immigrant Health report findings from a novel transnational, mixed-methods study with indigenous Mayans in Yucatán, Mexico, and their satellite communities in Southern California. Indigenous migrants comprise the largest proportion of recent, first-time migrants from Mexico to the United States and are among the migrant populations most vulnerable to discrimination (e.g. work place) and health disparities. The studies presented focus on three topics: perceived discrimination and mental health among indigenous migrants and non-migrants, risky alcohol use behaviors associated with migration to the U.S. and within Mexico, and gendered power dynamics related to sexual health care access and utilization. This transnational research sheds new light on health issues and gender differences affecting indigenous Mexican migrant men, women and their families. Findings can serve to inform intervention research to improve migrant health in the U.S. and Mexico as well as transnational collaboration between countries.

Keywords

Migrant health Migration Latino Immigration Indigenous Mexico 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the community of Tunkás and Tunkaseños in Mexico and the U.S. for their trust, sincerity, and guidance in making this work possible. This work was supported by the Research Program on Migration and Health (Programa de Investigación en Migración y Salud, PIMSA Cycle 2011–2012), the Health Initiative of the Americas, the University of California, the Center for Comparative Immigration Studies at the University of California, San Diego, and the Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia, México.

Conflict of interest

The authors state no conflict of interest.

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  • María Luisa Zúñiga
    • 1
    • 5
  • Pedro Lewin Fischer
    • 2
  • Debra Cornelius
    • 3
  • Wayne Cornelius
    • 1
  • Shira Goldenberg
    • 1
  • David Keyes
    • 4
  1. 1.Division of Global Public Health, Department of MedicineUniversity of California, San DiegoLa JollaUSA
  2. 2.Centro INAH YucatánInstituto Nacional de Antropología e HistoriaMéridaMexico
  3. 3.Sociology and Anthropology DepartmentShippensburg UniversityShippensburgUSA
  4. 4.Center for Comparative Immigration StudiesUniversity of California, San DiegoLa JollaUSA
  5. 5.School of Social Work, College of Health and Human ServicesSan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoUSA

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