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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Binational Migration Institute (BMI): A multidisciplinary, multi institutional approach to understanding Latino health and human rights concerns on the US Mexico border

Raquel Rubio Goldsmith, PhD1, Scott Carvajal, PhD, MPH1, Jill De Zapien2, Cecilia Rosales, MD, MS2, Araceli Masterson, PhD Candidate1, Samantha Sabo, MPH2, Melissa Mc Cormick1, Jean McClelland, MLS2, Maia Ingram, MPH3, and Celestino Fernandez, PhD4. (1) Assistant Professor of Mexican American Studies and Public Health, University of Arizona, Cesar E Chavez Building, Room 207, Tucson, AZ 85721, (2) Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 1435 N Fremont, Tucson, AZ 85721, 520 626 7946, sabo@coph.arizona.edu, (3) Program Director, Community Based Evaluation Projects, University of Arizona, 2501 E Elm Street, Tucson, AZ 85716, (4) Social Sciences, University of Arizona, PO Box 210027, Tucson, AZ 85721

Academic community partnerships were involved in increasing student-community survey research skills and generating student-community dialogue about human rights violations and health threats in multigenerational urban immigrant communities. The Binational Migration Institute is a multi disciplinary, multi institutional endeavor rooted in research and policy recommendations regarding US and Mexican immigration policies effect on the legal rights and public health of transnational Latinos. In two seminal research studies, BMI found that approximately the same percentage of Latino citizens and legal residents reported mistreatment in 1993 (19%) and 2003 (16%). For this pilot study, the Arizona Sonora border was chosen as an area of local and national significance because it lies within the most active border control sector in the United States, and most residents are Latino, low income, and have limited health services. The original BMI instrument used to measure the frequency and types of human rights violations by immigration enforcement officials was expanded to incorporate Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance (BRFSS) questions. These questions allowed BMI to obtain an intake assessment of possible health issues which could be exacerbated by stress in the context of militarization of border communities. Multi generational student-community research teams from 10 academic disciplines and 2 local high schools conducted 500 bilingual domicile interviews with the support of local neighborhood associations and school districts. This is the 1st mixed- method survey of Latino health and human rights concerns in an urban setting at the US Mexico border and has incorporated culturally specific stress and mental/physical health markers.

Learning Objectives:

  • At the conculsion of the session, participants will be able to

    Keywords: Immigration, Health Disparities

    Presenting author's disclosure statement:

    Not Answered

    Advocating to Bring Prevention and Services to All

    The 134th Annual Meeting & Exposition (November 4-8, 2006) of APHA