Published online October 27, 2009
PEDIATRICS Vol. 124 Supplement November 2009, pp. S187-S195 (doi:10.1542/peds.2009-1100F)
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Mendoza, F. S.
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Mendoza, F. S.
Related Collections
Right arrow Office Practice
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Facebook   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

SUPPLEMENT ARTICLE


Health Disparities and Children in Immigrant Families: A Research Agenda

Fernando S. Mendoza, MD, MPH

Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Palo Alto, California

Children in immigrant families now comprise 1 in 5 children in the United States. Eighty percent of them are US citizens, and 53% live in mixed-citizenship families. Their families are among the poorest, least educated, least insured, and least able to access health care. Nonetheless, these children demonstrate better-than-expected health status, a finding termed "the immigrant paradox" and one suggesting that cultural health behaviors among immigrant families might be protective in some areas of health. In this article the strength of the immigrant paradox, the effect of acculturation on health, and the relationships of acculturation, enculturation, language, and literacy skills to health disparities are reviewed. The current public policy issues that affect the health disparities of children of immigrant families are presented, and a research agenda for improving our knowledge about children in immigrant families to develop effective interventions and public policies that will reduce their health disparities is set forth.

Key Words: immigrant children • immigrant families • health disparities • acculturation • immigrant paradox • health policy

Abbreviations: SCHIP—State Children's Health Insurance Program

Accepted Jul 20, 2009.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Facebook Facebook   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 PediatricsHome page
B. Guyer and S. Ma
Conceptualizing Health Disparities: Panel Reflections
Pediatrics, November 1, 2009; 124(Supplement_3): S212 - S213.
[Full Text] [PDF]