Summary
Summary: The Latino health paradox is the phenomenon whereby recent Latino immigrants have, on average, better health outcomes on some indicators than Latino immigrants who have lived in the United States longer and U.S.-born Latinos and non-Latino whites. This study examined whether the paradox holds after accounting for health care access and utilization.
Researchers used 2019–2020 National Health Interview Survey data. The main predictors included population groups of foreign-born and U.S.-born Latinos (Mexican or non-Mexican) versus U.S.-born non-Latino whites.
Findings: After adjusting for health care access, utilization, and predisposing and enabling factors, foreign-born Latinos, including those living in the United States ≥15 years, had lower predicted probabilities for most health outcomes than U.S.-born non-Latino whites, except overweight/obesity and diabetes. U.S.-born Latinos had higher predicted probabilities of overweight/obesity and diabetes and a lower predicted probability of depression than U.S.-born non-Latino whites.
In this national survey, the Latino health paradox was observed after adjusting for health care access and utilization and predisposing and enabling factors, suggesting that, although these are important factors for good health, they do not necessarily explain the paradox.
Read the Publications:
- Journal Article: Health Care Access and Utilization and the Latino Health Paradox