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Do Mexican immigrants substitute health care in Mexico for health insurance in the United States? The role of distance

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  • Brown, Henry Shelton

Abstract

Although language and culture are important contributors to uninsurance among immigrants, one important contributor may have been overlooked - the ability of immigrants to return to their home country for health care. This paper examines the extent to which uninsurance (private insurance and Medicaid) is related to the ability of immigrants to return to Mexico for health care, as measured by spatial proximity. The data for this study are from the Mexican Migration Project. After controlling for household income, acculturation and demographic characteristics, arc distance to the place of origin plays a role in explaining uninsurance rates. Distance within Mexico is quite important, indicating that immigrants from the South of Mexico are more likely to seek care in their communities of origin (hometowns).

Suggested Citation

  • Brown, Henry Shelton, 2008. "Do Mexican immigrants substitute health care in Mexico for health insurance in the United States? The role of distance," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(12), pages 2036-2042, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:67:y:2008:i:12:p:2036-2042
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. George J. Borjas, 2021. "Self-Selection and the Earnings of Immigrants," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Foundational Essays in Immigration Economics, chapter 4, pages 69-91, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    2. Michael Grossman, 1972. "The Demand for Health: A Theoretical and Empirical Investigation," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number gros72-1, March.
    3. Michael Rothschild & Joseph Stiglitz, 1976. "Equilibrium in Competitive Insurance Markets: An Essay on the Economics of Imperfect Information," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 90(4), pages 629-649.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Connell, John, 2013. "Contemporary medical tourism: Conceptualisation, culture and commodification," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 1-13.
    3. Laugesen, Miriam J. & Vargas-Bustamante, Arturo, 2010. "A patient mobility framework that travels: European and United States-Mexican comparisons," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(2-3), pages 225-231, October.
    4. Raudenbush, Danielle T., 2021. "“We go to Tijuana to double check everything”: The contemporaneous use of health services in the U.S. and Mexico by Mexican immigrants in a border region," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    5. Jang, Sou Hyun, 2016. "First-generation Korean immigrants’ barriers to healthcare and their coping strategies in the US," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 93-100.
    6. Horton, Sarah & Cole, Stephanie, 2011. "Medical returns: Seeking health care in Mexico," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(11), pages 1846-1852, June.
    7. Agovino, Massimiliano & Aprile, Maria Carmela & Garofalo, Antonio & Mariani, Angela, 2018. "Cancer mortality rates and spillover effects among different areas: A case study in Campania (southern Italy)," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 67-83.
    8. Masoud lajevardi, 2016. "A Comprehensive Perspective On Medical Tourism Context And Create A Conceptual Framework," Tourism Research Institute, Journal of Tourism Research, vol. 14(1), pages 101-134, October.
    9. Wang, Lu & Kwak, Min-Jung, 2015. "Immigration, barriers to healthcare and transnational ties: A case study of South Korean immigrants in Toronto, Canada," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 340-348.

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