Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Immigration Legal Status and Use of Public Programs and Prenatal Care

  • Published:
Journal of Immigrant Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study assessed impacts of immigrants' legal status on utilization of prenatal care and public programs by non-citizen women. Interviews and chart reviews of 171 women were conducted less than 48 hours after delivery at an urban hospital. Among non-citizens, 67% were legally documented. No differences in prenatal care adequacy by legal status were detected among non-citizens, who as a group had less health insurance, worse socioeconomics, and less program use compared to U.S. citizens. Non-citizens also were less aware of newborn's citizenship and eligibility for public programs and benefits. Non-citizens utilized fewer programs while reporting greater economic hardship than citizens; however, non-citizens selectively used programs important for pregnancy. Given changes in eligibility for federal programs and high rates of reported food insecurity and socioeconomic hardship among non-citizens, monitoring for adverse effects on utilization of prenatal care and birth outcomes is needed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  1. Asch S, Leake B, Gelberg L: Does fear of immigration authorities deter tuberculosis patients from seeking care? West J Med 1994; 161:373–376

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Nagi SZ, Haavio-Mannila E: Migration, health status, and utilization of health services. Sociol Health Illness 1980; 2:174–193

    Google Scholar 

  3. Stephen EH, Foote K, Hendershot GE, Schoenborn CA: Health of the foreign-born population: United States, 1989–90. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics; 1994

    Google Scholar 

  4. Cabral H, Fried LE, Levenson S, Amaro H, Zuckerman B: Foreign-born and US-born women: Differences in health behaviors and birth outcomes. Am J Public Health 1990; 80:70–72

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Cobas JA, Balcazar H, Benin MB, Keith VM, Chong Y: Acculturation and low-birthweight infants among Latino women: A reanalysis of HHANES data with structural equation models. Am J Public Health 1996; 86:394–396

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Scribner R: Paradox as paradigm—The health outcomes of Mexican Americans (editorial). Am J Public Health 1996; 86;303–305

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Weitzman BC, Berry AC: Health status and health care utilization among New York City home attendants: An illustration of the needs of working poor, immigrant women. Women Health 1992; 19:87–105

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Chavez LR, Cornelius WA, Jones OW: Utilization of health services by Mexican immigrant women in San Diego. Women Health 1986; 11:3–20

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Hubbell FA, Waitzman H, Mishra SI, Dombrink J, Chavez LR: Access to medical care for documented and undocumented Latinos in a southern California county. West J Med 1991; 154:414–417

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Thamer M, Christian R, Casebeer AW, Ray NF: Health insurance coverage among foreign-born US residents: The impact of race, ethnicity, and length of residence. Am J Public Health 1997; 87:96–102

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Halfon N, Wood DL, Burciaga Valdez R, Pereyra M, Duan N: Medicaid enrollment and health services access by Latino children in inner-city Los Angeles. JAMA 1997; 277:636–641

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Minkoff H, Bauer T, Joyce T: Welfare reform and the obstetrical care of immigrants and their newborns. N Eng J Med 1997; 337:705–707

    Google Scholar 

  13. Chavez LR, Cornelius WA, Jones OW: Mexican immigrants and the utilization of U.S. health services: The case of San Diego. Soc Sci Med 1985; 21:93–102

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Chi PSK: Medical utilization patterns of migrant farm workers in Wayne County, New York. Public Health Rep 1985; 100:480–490

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Edwards N: Factors influencing prenatal class attendance among immigrants in Ottawa-Carleton. Can J Public Health 1994; 85:254–258

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Faller HS: Perinatal needs of immigrant Hmong women: Surveys of women and health care providers. Public Health Rep 1985; 100:340–343

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Weeks JR, Rumbaut RG: Infant mortality among ethnic immigrant groups. Soc Sci Med 1991; 33:327–334

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Baker DW, Parker RM, Williams MV, Coates WC, Pitkin K: Use and effectiveness of interpreters in an emergency department. JAMA 1996; 275:783–788

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Benson V, Marano MA: Current estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, 1993. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 1994; 10:190

    Google Scholar 

  20. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III Data Collection Forms. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics; 1990

  21. Wehler CA, Scott RI, Anderson JJ, Summer L, Parker L: Community Childhood Hunger Identification Project. A Survey of Childhood Hunger in the United States. Washington, DC: Food Research and Action Center; 1995

    Google Scholar 

  22. Lipson JG, Meleis AI: Methodological issues in research with immigrants. Med Anthropol 1989; 12:103–115

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Sankar A: Culture, research, and policy. Gerontologist. 1993; 33:437–438

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Alexander GR, Kotelchuck M: Quantifying the adequacy of prenatal care: A comparison of indices. Public Health Rep 1996; 111:408–418

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Kotlechuck M: An evaluation of the Kessner adequacy of prenatal care index and a proposed adequacy of prenatal care utilization index. Am J Public Health 1994; 84:1414–1420

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. DeVille K: Parties to the social contract? Justice, Proposition 187 and health care for undocumented immigrants. Trends Health Care Law Ethics 1995; 10:113–118

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Divisions of Community and General Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts

    Paul L. Geltman (MD, MPH) & Alan F. Meyers

  2. Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health, Refugee and Immigrant Health Program, Jamaica Plain, MA, 02130

    Paul L. Geltman (MD, MPH)

Authors
  1. Paul L. Geltman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alan F. Meyers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Geltman, P.L., Meyers, A.F. Immigration Legal Status and Use of Public Programs and Prenatal Care. Journal of Immigrant Health 1, 91–97 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021832422075

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021832422075

Search

Navigation