Anxiety among Central American Migrants in Mexico: A Cumulative Vulnerability.

Migration exposes Central American migrants, particularly those who migrate without documents, to a range of incidents, dangers, and risks that increase their vulnerability to anxiety symptoms. In most cases, the poverty, conflict, and violence they experience in their countries of origin are compounded by the unpredictable conditions of their journey through Mexico. The objective of this study was to explore the association between the presence of emotional discomfort and the experience of various vulnerabilities from the perspective of a group of Central American migrants in transit through Mexico. This is a descriptive, mixed-methods study (QUALI-QUAN). During the qualitative phase, thirty-five migrants were interviewed (twenty in Mexico City and six in Tijuana). During the quantitative phase, a questionnaire was administered to 217 migrants in shelters in Tijuana. An analysis of the subjects' accounts yielded various factors associated with stress and anxiety, which were divided into five main groups: (1) precarious conditions during the journey through Mexico, (2) rejection and abuse due to their identity, (3) abuse by Mexican authorities, (4) violence by criminal organizations, and (5) waiting time before being able to continue their journey. The interaction of various vulnerabilities predisposes individuals to present emotional discomfort, such as anxiety. Migrants who reported experiencing three or more vulnerabilities presented the highest percentages of anxiety symptoms.

Stress and Alcohol Intake among Hispanic Adult Immigrants in the U.S. Midwest.

Alcohol intake and Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) among recent and very recent Hispanic immigrants are not well characterized, in particular in the context of perceived stress among such groups. The objective of the present study was to shed light on alcohol intake and AUD overall, as well as potential modifications derived from varying levels of stress and socioeconomic status (SES). The study population was immigrants with six or fewer months of having arrived in the American Midwest, and members of their peer networks who had been in the U.S. for 2+ years. We found that AUD and alcohol intake spanned from very high to a considerable proportion who abstained; perceived stress did not have an obvious impact on AUD or alcohol intake. Moreover, neither New vs. Established immigrant statuses, or SES levels, were associated with AUD or alcohol intake. Future research should examine in a more finely-grained approach the components of SES to verify if the complex circumstances of recent immigrants are in fact amenable to SES classification using standard quantification approaches-even using the functional descriptions of the SES surrogates we used.

Changing Places, Changing Plates? A Binational Comparison of Barriers and Facilitators to Healthful Eating Among Central American Communities.

To understand the process by which immigrants adopt dietary practices, this study offers a binational comparison of factors that predispose, enable, and reinforce healthful eating in the sending and receiving countries. Data are from two qualitative studies that examined barriers and facilitators to healthful eating in El Salvador (four focus groups, n = 28 adults) and in the US (30 in-depth interviews n = 15 mothers recently migrated from Central America). There was a strong emphasis on hygiene and vitamin-content of foods among participants in El Salvador. In both settings, participants perceived that their respective community food environments (schools, food stores) exposed their families to highly processed, unhealthful foods. In both settings, they described similar struggles to encourage their families to eat foods healthfully (traditional, home-made foods). These results underscore the importance of acknowledging the changing food environment in sending countries where people may already be exposed to processed foods.

The mental well-being of Central American transmigrant men in Mexico.

To understand the mental health status of Central American migrant men travelling through Mexico to the U.S., we analysed the association between migration-related circumstances/stressors and psychological disorders. In-person interviews and a psychiatric assessment were conducted in 2010 and 2014 with 360 primarily Honduran transmigrant young adult males. The interviews were conducted at three Casas del Migrante (or migrant safe houses) in the migration-corridor cities of Monterrey, and Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon; and Saltillo, Coahuila. The results indicated high levels of migration-related stressors including abuse and a high prevalence of major depressive episodes (MDEs), alcohol dependency, and alcohol abuse. Nested logistic regression models were used to separately predict MDEs, alcohol dependency, and alcohol abuse, assessing their association with migration experiences and socio-demographic characteristics. Logistic regression models showed that characteristics surrounding migration (experiencing abuse, migration duration, and attempts) are predictive of depression. Alcohol dependency and abuse were both associated with marital status and having family/friends in the intended U.S. destination, while the number of migration attempts also predicted alcohol dependency. The results provide needed information on the association between transit migration through Mexico to the U.S. among unauthorised Central American men and major depressive disorder and alcohol abuse and dependency.

The VidaSana Study: Recruitment Strategies for Longitudinal Assessment of Egocentric Hispanic Immigrant Networks.

We disseminate the recruitment strategies used in the five-year VidaSana study (started in 2017) in the Midwest region of the United States, targeting recently arrived Hispanic immigrants. VidaSana aims to follow immigrants within six months of arrival for 24 months to (1) characterize features of networks (personal and community) that improve or undermine dental health; and (2) further refine methods to quantify the evolution of egocentric networks, using social network methodology. We implemented several strategies to promote and recruit potential participants into the study. We collaborate with agents serving Indiana's Hispanic communities using three levels of visibility. The broad level includes radio advertisements, TV interviews, newspaper advertisements, and targeted Facebook advertisements. Intermediate level visibility includes posting flyers in schools, employment agencies, immigrant welcome centers, and Hispanic businesses; making announcements at church/temple and school events; tabling at community, church and school events; and a pervasive adaptation of our strategies to the requirements of our partners. Lastly, the individualized level includes direct referrals by partners through word of mouth. From the initial 13 months of recruitment (494 screened contacts and 202 recruited participants), the most successful recruitment strategies appear to be a combination of intermediate- and individual-level strategies; specifically, face-to-face recruitment at school events, direct referrals from our community partners, and tabling at community/school/church events. The current interim findings and future final findings will help guide recruitment and retention strategies for studies focused on immigrants in the current climate of heightened immigration regulations and enforcement.