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Commission to Build a Healthier America Public Meeting
Join the Commission on June 19, 2013 for a public meeting to raise awareness of how non-medical factors influence health and move public- an...
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Immigrants and Health Care
Sources of Vulnerability
Immigrants have been identified as a vulnerable population but there is heterogeneity in the degree to which they are vulnerable to inadequate health care. The authors examine the factors that affect immigrants' vulnerability, including socioeconomic background; immigration status; limited English proficiency; federal, state and local policies on access to publicly funded health care; residential location; and stigma and marginalization. The study concludes that, overall, immigrants have lower rates of health insurance, use less health care and receive lower quality of care than U.S.-born populations; however, there are differences among subgroups. The authors provide some policy options for addressing immigrants' vulnerabilities.