Immigrants: Health status and access to care – Implications for infectious diseases care in the US

Over the years the United States (US) has experienced significant increase in immigration population. The number of unauthorized immigrants living in the United States in January 2010 was 10.8 million (DHS Office of Immigration Statistics). Several factors such as education, socioeconomic background, immigration status, limited English proficiency, residential locations and stigma and marginalization have an impact on health care seeking behavior for this group of population.

Infectious diseases pose a huge challenge to the health status of the immigrant population. (Tuberculosis, Chagas, Malaria, Syphilis and HIV). Tracking and providing treatment to the legal immigrant population has been a challenge in itself when it comes to dealing with infectious diseases – mainly for infectious diseases such as syphilis and HIV/AIDS. Creating surveillance systems and tracking infectious diseases has been a challenge for most of the states in the US. It is even more challenging in states with higher population of immigrants such as California, Texas, and Florida.

Primary focus of this research is to study factors that hinder immigrants from seeking health care, especially with regard to infectious diseases. Meta-analysis will be used to document impact of select health care policies on health care seeking behavior of immigrants. Results from this research will be used to suggest changes in policies governing health care for immigrants – especially to help them overcome barriers.