Major and Classification
Majoring in Health and Human Sciences, Minor In Occupational Science & Sociology
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Diego A. Lopez – USC Chan Division of Occupational Therapy Department
Department
USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
Research Gateway Project
Voices of Care: Latinx Experiences in the U.S. Healthcare System
Project Abstract
Policy regarding immigration status differs across the United States, affecting access to healthcare and benefits among Latinx individuals. There are a variety of legal statuses in the large immigrant population in the United States: Citizens (U.S. Born or Naturalized), Residents (Conditional or Permanent), Non-Immigrant status (F-1, K-1, B1/B2, etc), and Undocumented Status (without legal authorization). As a result, overall well-being, quality of care, and personal experiences are unique across the continuum of documentation status. In addition to policy, the variety of immigration statuses adds to the complexity of accurately representing Latinx individuals. For instance, undocumented Latinx immigrants are a particularly vulnerable population, making them difficult to target in studies. This study addresses this gap by highlighting the experiences of Latinx individuals that identified as being either undocumented immigrants, U.S.-born counterparts, or as having legal authorization to reside in the U.S. to learn more about the effects that legal status may have when accessing the U.S. healthcare system. The current study collected qualitative data from one-on-one virtual interviews that were conducted with six Latinx participants (N=6) of different immigration statuses that reside in Los Angeles County. The interviews collected data regarding access and utilization of health services, the health concerns of participants, and their immigration status as a potential influential factor. The data collected was transcribed by Otter.ai transcription software and analyzed via Open Coding method. Our findings suggest that undocumented Latinx immigrants are not restricted from accessibility to health coverage and benefits. This result is indicative of California’s progressive policies regarding immigration status and access to healthcare. In contrast to our hypothesis, undocumented individuals had similar, if not better, accessibility to healthcare than their U.S.-born and resident counterparts. Beyond access, factors such as socioeconomic status, cultural beliefs and traditions influenced utilization of health services. Future research should include a comparative study with participants from other states to address differences in policies regarding immigration and healthcare. Future studies should also consider other external factors (socioeconomic status, age, gender, etc) to more accurately represent individuals within the Latinx community. Lastly, future studies should seek to include quantifiable data (Census, surveys, etc) to further support findings.