Health in the US-Mexico Border

Antonio Peña

Instituto de Fisiología Celular

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Information available:

“Mexico-USA Migration”

Consejo Nacional de Población, México, 2005

In collaboration with the Center for Health Policy Research, University of California, LA.

Iniciativa de Salud México-California.

Rather general study, not about border problems

More about population than health.

Migration from Mexico (per year):

1961-70: 30,000

2001-2004 400,000

Born in Mexico and residents:

1970: 879,000

2004: 10,200,000 (twelve times)

Plus descendants: 26.8 million

“Ilegales*”

1993-1997: 47.6 %

1997-2001: 62.9 %

2001-2004: 77.0 %

*Coming back to Mexico without official documents.

Permanence in months:

1993-1997: 5.5

1997:2001: 6.9

2001-2005: 11.2

States invaded (Mexicans among the main five migrant groups).

Easier pointing which NOT:

MontanaThe Dakotas

Florida (but there you have the cubans)LouisianaKentucky

The VirginiasDC

PennsylvaniaDelaware

New JerseyNew York (but there you have the portoricans)

The small Northwest states.

Formal education of 12 or less years > 80 %

133 male for each 100 female

We are too many

We are mainly “machos”

We are nor much educated

No one is worried about our health

Not even ourselves

Without Medical Security, according to permanence:

Les than 10 years: 67.6 %

11 or more years: 44.8 %

Mexican-americans 22.5 %

US born whites 12.3 %

Health problems unknown

Regular or bad health, “according to each one”¿”How do you feel today”?

Recent 6.8 %

More that 10 years 15.0 %

Mex-Amer 14.8 %

White natives 10.6 %

¿They feel good upon arrival; then they get sick?

¿They become aware of their health with time?

Women without a Papanicolau:

Recent 33.0 %

10 years 20.0 %

Mex-Amer 21.1 %

White 12.7 %

Without a recent mammography:

Immigrants 50.6 %

Mex-Amer 33.8 %

White 28.1 %

No colorectal exam, ever:

Immigrants 84.8

Mex-Amer 67.6

White 59.8

No influenza vaccine:

Immigrants 55.0

Mex-Amer 42.4

White 33.3

Diabetes cases known:

Recent 2.6 %

More than 10 years 7.7 %

Mex-Amer 8.3 %

White 5.5 %

Summary:

Very general, not border specific population studies.

Mostly data on medical coverage

Veri scarce; only ONE illness

Conclusion:

We know nothing

The problem:

¿Are health problems in the border different from those in the rest of each Country?

¿Are illnesses different at both sides of the border?

¿Are “border illnesses” particularly different from those most common in the rest of our countries?

¿In case they existed, what are the causes?

¿How can we fight them?

¿Are illnesses in the border different from those in the rest of each Contry?

Interestingly, health problems in the Northern border of Mexico are less than those in the rest of the Country, and more so as we move South.

Reasons:Climate, rain, sanitation conditions, poverty, all worse in the South than North.

In fact, the Northern zone of Mexico is healthier.(mostly with less parasitic and infectious diseases)

¿Are illnesses different at both sides of the border?

Possible differences among populations

If any, caused by the white “invasion” around the middle of the XIX century.

Greatly altered the population distribution, mainly in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and California.

“Pale faces” came to disturb the peaceful Mexicans.

Most endemic illnesses of Mexico are not in the border zone, but in the South, like malaria and

some parasitic diseases.

¿Are “border illnesses” particularly different from those most common in the rest of our countries?

Each country has its own, depending on zones, climate, habitantsand mostly sanitation conditions.

Without any doubt, Mexico is a less healthy country; main causes:

Poor sanitation

Poor education

Poverty (nutrition and living habits)

In summary, general underdevelopment

¿Are we carrying illnesses to the US?

It appears not to be so

The other side:AIDS

Without a particular distribution along the border, perhaps the most dangerous

plague of current times travelled from the US to Mexico:

More recently: Threats of influenza

¿Can we cope with This?

I believe we do

Current name of the game:

Competition, or competitivity.Predominance of economic and political reasons

Not a fair competition.Actually, mostly unfair; not even logical

Examples:Our people want drugs: “You shall not produce, bring, or deal with them”I want tuna fish for myself: “I declare an embargo”I want to develop avocado planting: “I declare another embargo”“Miguelitos” are gaining terrain: I forbid them because of their lead content

Mexico and the US not only share the same planet.

We are different, but we are neighbors

In logical terms:

¿Should we fight or work to increase our differences, and not the other way?

¿Should we give up hope and decide that it is more convenient to build a wall between our countries?

¿Should the US, as a country, abandon human feelings, even towards its neighbor?

¿Should not we struggle to be progressively more alike?

¿Is there anything we can do?

“Negative” or “disturbing” differences

Our phenotype and skin color

Our lower education

Our poverty

Positive

Capacity to work where others don’t want

Ingenuity

Desire for a better life

¿Can these differences be overcome?

RACE CHARACTERISTICS; where mixing occurred in Mexico, greatly erased differences.

Not to forget: gene mixing does not deteriorate, but improves individual capacities.

IGNORANCE can be overcome by education.

POVERTY can be defeated by hard work, plus economic opportunities.

¿Can we, or can’t we do something?

Half a century ago, the European Union, perhaps not to the same degree, faced a similar problem.

¿In there, it was easier to build a wall to isolate e. g. Spain and Portugal,

The EU decided instead to organize a development plan to equalize as much as possible all countries.

The EU provided funds to promote development in the poor countries.

The system is working

¿Is that impossible in our Continent?

Most problems have simple solutions when they start.

Small problems become political issues whenallowed (willingly or not) to grow.

Clumsy politicians imagine clumsy solutions to big or small problems.

The best politicians are those capable of foreseeing problems and solving them.

Real statesmen do not avoid; even seek for small or big problems.

Real statesmen analyze and solve problems

Solutions of real statesmen are never drastic, (war or wall building).

¿Do we, mexicans, and other Latin people, have no hope?

¿Do you, Americans, intend to maintain the same satus quo forever?

Are the US prepared to live for the rest of times side by side close to a progressively deteriorating country?

¿Or can we together seek and promote health, wealth and education for all?

¿Couldn’t we start TODAY planning real solutions?

Times in history are measured by centuries.

I believe real solutions should be planned

TODAY AND TOGETHER

for the second half of this century, or even for the XXII century.

ROME WAS NOT BUILT IN ONE DAY

Thanks for your patience