Online Program

Oral

There are 40 million immigrants living in the US. In just two decades, the immigrant population has doubled, representing an increase that is unparallel in US history. In today’s climate of healthcare and immigration reform, we must re-examine the paradigm of immigrant health, one that is evolving. Once considered a potential source of new infection and disease, there is significant evidence to suggest that immigrants of today arrive to the US with a unique health advantage. The question of whether this advantage is sustained over time and over generations, and whether social norms of the origin country contribute to this advantage is controversial. When immigrants arrive to the US, they experience a period of re-orientation and adaptation, processes that have profound connections to health. This session explores these connections. It highlights the immigrant enclave as a source of resilience and support, and the importance of applying contemporary frameworks to understanding the development of immigrant health outcomes. It presents the diversity of the immigrant experience while raising the question of whether the healthy immigrant paradox is meaningful across the life course, in different ethnic populations, and for different health outcomes. This session aims to promote critical dialogue among major thinkers in the field of immigration and health, and leverage scientific evidence to advance policy reform that responds to the needs of immigrants as well as the general US population.

Session Objectives: Discuss today’s leading themes in immigrant health Describe novel theoretical frameworks applied to the study of immigrant health outcomes Identify emerging areas of research needed to advance the field of immigrant health Discuss ways public health professionals can frame scientific evidence to promote contemporary perspectives on immigrant health Discuss ways public health professionals can leverage scientific evidence to advance immigration and healthcare policy reform

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH) , Masters Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)