Young Mexican Immigrants in the U.S.

s the largest immigrant group in the U.S., Mexican immigrants and their descendants are changing the demography of the nation. Mexican immigrant and Mexican origin youth ages 12-29 are a key part of this change. They are generally healthy. It is expected that they will live their productive adult years in the U.S. contributing to the social and economic well-being of a nation which has always been highly dependent on its immigrants. It is estimated that about the same proportion of today’s U.S. population is immigrant as was the case a century ago. These are some of the findings from Migration and Health: Young Mexican Immigrants in the U.S., a report produced by the National Population Council of Government of Mexico and the University of California.

Given these circumstances, it is imperative to create public policies to assure that this sector of the population benefit from the equal opportunities that support the social well-being, of its diverse and vulnerable populations. Unfortunately, for a significant portion of Mexican immigrant youth, this is not the case and they experience disadvantages that may dramatically influence their future. Protecting the health and well-being of young people sets the stage for a healthy and productive population that affects three generations: adolescents, young adults, and their future children.

While adolescents and young adults may begin with good health, they begin to encounter risks for major public health problems during this period. These risks include: smoking, substance abuse, reproductive health problems that include teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and mental health issues. The behaviors developed during the adolescent years are therefore an important determinant of health status and risks for adult health problems.

Environmental influences are extremely important to the health and development of adolescents and young adults. This is particularly important for Mexican immigrant youth who often live in ethnic enclaves and low-income communities and who have less access to education and other opportunities. Over half of Mexican immigrant youth live in low-income families, a higher rate than for any other group in this report. The low educational attainment of Mexican immigrant youth is especially worrisome. Over half of Mexican immigrant youth ages 24-29 did not graduate from high school, and only 46 percent of Mexican origin youth born in the U.S. has received any higher education at all. Just 30 percent of school-aged Mexican immigrant youths attend school and nearly 40% have limited English proficiency. This affects future prospects in the labor market, potential earnings, social integration and ultimately their quality of life.

Mexican immigrant young adults are active in the labor market, though it is often in unskilled, low-wage jobs without health insurance. They are less likely to have access to healthcare and health insurance than native-born whites and immigrants from other regions.

Risk-taking is a characteristic of development during the adolescent and early adult years. Teenage pregnancy is more common among young Mexican immigrant women than among other immigrants. Young Mexican origin men who drink consume more alcohol than any other group including the U.S.-born white young population. Alcohol abuse can produce chronic health conditions and increase the need for health care services. However, Mexican immigrant youths show remarkably low overall rates of alcohol and tobacco use when compared to U.S.-born white and Mexican origin youths.

Low socio-economic status, lack of insurance coverage and lack of access to timely medical care has consequences for health status. Though Mexican immigrant youth have the highest prevalence of diabetes among their age group, on many other measures they are healthier than U.S.-born white and Mexican origin youth.

The health of today’s Mexican immigrant youth will affect future population health as they develop and grow into productive members of society and have their own children.

(Source: Health Initiative of the Americas – UC Berkeley School of Public Health, Migration and Health: Young Mexican Immigrants in the U.S., 2012; ucanr.edu)