Vicky L. Minik September 17, 2012
Vulnerable Immigrant Population: Social, Economic, and Psychological Issues It is a difficult challenge for immigrants as they try to integrate with a new environment, new language, and a new socio-economic society. This paper will reveal the social factors that obstruct immigrants from integrating into society like; poor quality and type of education for themselves and their children, lack of secure jobs and poverty level, wages resulting in inadequate housing that is poor and overcrowded, mental issues such as depression, isolation from services that could assist them as well as cultural differences …show more content…
Where ever the money and enterprise are sound, immigrants gravitate toward that country. The United States is seeing the largest population of immigrants in history. “Immigrants are identified as a “Vulnerable Population” meaning, a group of people at an increased risk for poor physical, psychological, social health outcomes, and inadequate health care”. (Derose, Escarce, Laurie.2007, p. 1258) There is an overwhelming anti-immigrant climate in the United States and is fueled ever more by the occurrences of 9-11. American born residents are cultivating hate and discrimination often charging immigrants with taking jobs, and fault for tax increases providing free health care and education. Asians and Indians (native born to India) even if they are native born to America for generations, are considered foreigners by many …show more content…
Research reveals that Latinos have the highest uninsured or access to services than any other racial/ethnic group in America. Immigrants are a large and growing part of American society that is excessively low-income and uninsured. There are larger consequences for national and state efforts to improve access to health-care. Immigrants use far less medical care compared to what they represent in the U.S. population. Low-income, language barriers, unfamiliarity with local customs and culture, and legal status are a few of the reasons immigrants ' access to healthcare is impeded. Federal and state politics have restricted some immigrants’ access to healthcare creating to the already existing one. “The Immigrant Provisions of the 1996 Welfare Reform Act and the Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) have made most legal immigrants ineligible for publicly funded services such as Medicaid for the first five years of residency (undocumented have always been ineligible). Furthermore, some states can and have funded their individual intervention services”. (Derose, Escarce, Lurie.2007, pg.1259). Unresolved health issues can limit an immigrant’s ability to maintain employment, especially in labor intensive jobs. If immigrants do not receive healthcare, jobs will not keep them employed causing an avalanche of economic and social turmoil. Americans are concerned