Transcript Diapositiva 1

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:
2004:
879,000
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:
Montana
The Dakotas
Florida (but there you have the cubans)
Louisiana
Kentucky
The Virginias
DC
Pennsylvania
Delaware
New Jersey
New 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, habitants
and 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 when
allowed (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