Immigration as a Social Determinant of Health

Since 1965 the foreign-born population of the United States has swelled from 9.6 million or 5 percent of the population to 45 million or 14 percent in 2015. Today, about one-quarter of the U.S. population consists of immigrants or the children of immigrants. Given the sizable representation of immigrants in the U.S. population, their health is a major influence on the health of the population as a whole. On average, immigrants are healthier than native-born Americans. Yet, immigrants also are subject to the systematic marginalization and discrimination that often lead to the creation of health disparities. To explore the link between immigration and health disparities, the Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity held a workshop in Oakland, California, on November 28, 2017. This summary of that workshop highlights the presentations and discussions of the workshop. Table of ContentsFront Matter1 Introduction2 The Past and Present of U.S. Immigration Policy3 Immigration and the Social Determinants of Health4 The Voices of Immigrants5 Reflections on the WorkshopReferencesAppendix A: Workshop AgendaAppendix B: Speaker Biographical SketchesAppendix C: World Caf OrganizationsAppendix D: Statement of Task