Page 283 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

250 n IMMIGRanT WoMen

effect explains, at least partially, the better the social and environmental transition to an
health status of recent immigrants compared egocentric culture may affect women’s health
I with native-born groups. The notion of the and health-promoting activities (Bathum &
positive effect of migration on health is based Baumann, 2007). Yet living in proximity with
on the premise that many migrants encoun- other immigrants does not necessarily cre-
ter better living conditions, upward social ate a sense of community. Community-based
mobility, improved economic status, and a research with recent Latina immigrants in
safer and healthier environment in the host a new settlement area of the Southeastern
country (evans, 1987). others have posited United States indicated that the de facto
a negative effect of migration on health, the concentrations of Latino immigrants in
result of inherently difficult, stressful, and apartment complexes or trailer parks are
even hazardous conditions of immigrant not necessarily accompanied by a sense of
life and exposure to communicable diseases, belonging and community (Barrington &
physical and emotional stress, and limited Messias 2010).
access to care (Trimble, 2003). Much of the Immigrant women share unique charac-
nursing research related to immigrant health teristics that require special gender-sensitive
has focused on the notion of acculturation. research and clinical efforts. They share the
However, there is considerable variation vulnerabilities and the marginalization of
in the definition and operationalization of minority women in general, and face addi-
acculturation as a research variable (Messias tional challenges related to cultural differ-
& Rubio, 2004). Critiques of existing theoreti- ences, language barriers, transportation, and
cal models of immigration and health include role overload. Immigrant women often find
ethnocentric bias, inadequate empirical sup- host country gender roles and expectations
port, and lack of applicability to diverse, het- are at odds with those of their home country
erogeneous immigrant populations (Hunt, (Remennick, 2004; Rodriguez, 2007). another
Schneider, & Comer, 2004). challenge is maintaining home country her-
nursing research with specific immi- itage while adopting the values and beliefs
grant groups, such as Lipson’s (1993) study necessary to integrate themselves and their
of afghan refugees, and McGuire’s (2001) families into the host culture (aroian et al.,
transnational investigation of indigenous 2009). although most studies of immigrant
immigrants from oaxaca, Mexico, have con- women focus on groups characterized by
tributed to furthering the understanding of evident gender inequality, there is some evi-
migration-related trauma, loss, and post- dence that even women from groups with
migration health care needs. Distance and less gender inequality experience more psy-
separation from family and community is a chological distress and have different sources
difficult aspect of transnational migration. of distress than their male counterparts
McGuire and Martin (2007) examined the (aroian, norris, & Chiang, 2003; aroian,
effect of global neoliberal economic mod- norris, Gonzalez de Chavez Fernandez, &
els on families and communities in rural averasturi, 2008). These variables influence
Mexico and the resulting accelerated migra- immigrant women’s health and health care,
tion of indigenous women to the United and many of the variables have not been
States. The fracturing of families resulted in adequately studied.
physical and emotional suffering and sad- a nursing perspective focusing on
ness among women separated from their immigrant women and their health includes
children, for whom they were making enor- research on gender and health, culturally
mous personal sacrifices. For women from influenced explanatory models of illness,
sociocentric cultures (e.g., Central and South transitions and health, and marginalization
america) who migrate to the United States, and health (aroian, 2001; Meleis, 1995; Meleis,