10
tion groups. The second half of the chapter discus-
ses the access to health care that these groups have
experienced. Findings show thatMexican immigrants
have the lowest rates of health insurance coverage of
all groups and experience theworst access to health
care. In both of these areas we anticipatemajor im-
provements in the comingyears as a result of thead-
vances of theaca aswe describe in this chapter.
Chapter 3discusses the specific health risk fac-
tors of Mexican immigrants, as well as Central Ame-
rican and other immigrant groups in the US, including
principal diagnoses and health conditions by group for
children under age 18, young people age 12 to 29,
adult women andmen age18 to64, and elderly peo-
ple age65 and over. The data show thatMexican im-
migrants haveamong thehighest ratesof obesityand
diabetes of all groups, while experiencing lower rates
of several other health risks andhealth conditions.
Chapter 4 presents fertility data for Mexican
immigrants and immigrants from Central and South
America, as well as US-born groups, over the past 10
years. It also provides mortality and life expectancy
data for the entire population ofMexican origin (both
US-born and immigrants). It is notable that the ferti-
lity of Mexican immigrants has dropped substantially
over the past ten years and the life expectancy of the
Mexicanoriginpopulation is thehighest of anygroup.
This report wasmade possible through a bina-
tional effort led by the Mexican Secretariat of Go-
vernment through theMigration Policy Bureau (upm)
and the National Population Council (conapo), in
collaborationwith theUniversityof California at Ber-
keley School of Public Health, through the participa-
tion of theHealth Initiative of theAmericas, and the
Center for Health Policy Research at the University
of California at LosAngeles.
Finally, this report offers conclusions and re-
commendations for improving the health and social
inclusion of the Mexican immigrant population. The
healthandwellbeingof this population is fundamental
to theprogressof theUnitedStatesandMexico, and is
the responsibilityof both countries.WithMexican im-
migrants and their offspring as a fundamental part of
the demographic shift that is changing the social and
political landscape of the US, their health is crucial to
the futureandeconomicprogress for both countries.
PatriciaChemor Ruiz
SecretaryGeneral of the
National PopulationCouncil
Xochitl CastañedaCamey
Director of theHealth Initiativeof
theAmericas, School of PublicHealth,
UniversityofCaliforniaat Berkeley
Omar de laTorrede laMora
Headof theMigrationPolicyBureau,
Secretariat ofGovernment
migration & health •
mexican immigrants in the us: a 10 year perspective
