Abstract
				Are you better off? Perceptions of Social Mobility and Satisfaction with Health Care among Latina Immigrants in the US
				Sonia Mendoza, MA, Adria Armbrister, PhD and Ana Abraido-Lanza, PhD
Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY
				
					APHA's 2018 Annual Meeting & Expo (Nov. 10 - Nov. 14)
				
				
				
					
	
Although the reasons for immigrating to the US vary by Latino groups, many Latinos cite economic or political motivations for their migration.  Latino immigrants may face many challenges, including discrimination and blocked opportunities for social mobility, and difficulties in obtaining health services and receiving quality health care.  The purpose of this study was to explore how changes in social mobility from the country of origin to the US may relate to Latina women’s healthcare interactions.  We examined whether self-reported social mobility among 420 Latina women immigrants is associated with satisfaction with healthcare and medical mistrust.  Self-reported social mobility, satisfaction with health care, and medical mistrust were measured with validated instruments.  Multiple regression analyses indicated that the downward socially mobile immigrant group had greater years of education relative to the stable and upwardly socially mobile groups, but reported less satisfaction with their medical care and greater medical mistrust than stable socially mobile respondents. Women who reported upward social mobility had lived in the US longer than their downward socially mobile counterparts.  Those who reported no changes in social mobility were older and less educated than either downward or upwardly mobile groups and were the most satisfied with their medical care compared to downwardly mobile respondents.  Results suggest that social mobility may differentially predict the interactions between Latina immigrants and the healthcare system, including their trust of the US medical institutions. We conclude that perceived social mobility provides further insight into the experiences of immigrant Latinas with their health care.
				
				
				
					 Diversity and culture  Social and behavioral sciences