Title: Healthcare access among circular and undocumented Mexican migrants: results from a pilot survey on the Mexico-US border

Authors: Ana P. Martínez-Donate; Xiao Zhang; M. Gudelia Rangel Gomez; Melbourne F. Hovell; Norma-Jean Simon; Catalina Amuedo-Dorantes; Carol Sipan; Sylvia Guendelman

Addresses: Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 610 Walnut St., 605 WARF, Madison, WI 53726-2397, USA ' Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 610 Walnut St., 605 WARF, Madison, WI 53726-2397, USA ' Departamento de Estudios de Población, El Colegio de la Frontera Norte, Km 18.5, Carretera Escenica Tijuana-Ensenada, San Antonio del Mar, Tijuana, Baja California, C.P. 22560, Mexico ' San Diego State University, 9245 Sky Park Court, Suite 230, San Diego, CA, 92123-4388, USA ' Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit, Division of General Pediatrics, University of Michigan, 1930 Woodbury Drive, 5034, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104 , USA ' San Diego State University, Nasatir Hall, Room 310, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182-1663, USA ' Department of Health Sciences, University of California, 4870 Lee Avenue, La Mesa, CA 91942, USA ' School of Public Health, University of California, 460 Spruce St, Berkeley, CA, 94708, USA

Abstract: Temporary and unauthorised migrants may face unique obstacles to access healthcare services in the USA. This study estimated levels of healthcare access among Mexican migrants returning to Mexico from the USA and factors associated with access to healthcare, with emphasis on the role of modifiable, enabling factors. We conducted a pilot probability healthcare survey of migrants in the border city of Tijuana, Mexico (N = 186). Approximately 42% of migrants reported having used healthcare services in the USA during the past year. Only 38% had a usual source of care and approximately 11% went without needed medical care in the USA. About 71% of migrants did not have health insurance in the USA. Lack of health insurance and transportation limitations were significantly related to various access indicators. These results have implications for future policies and programmes aimed to address modifiable healthcare access barriers faced by these vulnerable and underserved segments of the Mexican migrant population.

Keywords: Mexican migrants; Andersen model; healthcare access; circular migration; unauthorised migrants; Mexico-US border; Mexico; USA; United States; temporary migrants; illegal migrants; immigration; medical care; health insurance; transport limitations.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMBS.2014.065069

International Journal of Migration and Border Studies, 2014 Vol.1 No.1, pp.57 - 108

Received: 15 Nov 2013
Accepted: 25 Apr 2014
Published online: 29 Oct 2014 *

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