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Family legal status and health: Measurement dilemmas in studies of Mexican-origin children

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  • Oropesa, R.S.
  • Landale, Nancy S.
  • Hillemeier, Marianne M.

Abstract

Family legal status is a potentially important source of variation in the health of Mexican-origin children. However, a comprehensive understanding of its role has been elusive due to data limitations and inconsistent measurement procedures. Using restricted data from the 2011–2012 California Health Interview Survey, we investigate the implications of measurement strategies for estimating the share of children in undocumented families and inferences about how legal status affects children's health. The results show that inferences are sensitive to how this “fundamental cause” is operationalized under various combinatorial approaches used in previous studies. We recommend alternative procedures with greater capacity to reveal how the statuses of both parents affect children's well-being. The results suggest that the legal statuses of both parents matter, but the status of mothers is especially important for assessments of child health. The investigation concludes with a discussion of possible explanations for these findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Oropesa, R.S. & Landale, Nancy S. & Hillemeier, Marianne M., 2015. "Family legal status and health: Measurement dilemmas in studies of Mexican-origin children," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 57-67.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:138:y:2015:i:c:p:57-67
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.05.038
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lee, S. & Brown, E.R. & Grant, D. & Belin, T.R. & Brick, J.M., 2009. "Exploring nonresponse bias in a health survey using neighborhood characteristics," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 99(10), pages 1811-1817.
    2. Viruell-Fuentes, E.A. & Morenoff, J.D. & Williams, D.R. & House, J.S., 2011. "Language of interview, self-rated health, and the other Latino health puzzle," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 101(7), pages 1306-1313.
    3. James D. Bachmeier & Jennifer Van Hook & Frank D. Bean, 2014. "Can We Measure Immigrants' Legal Status? Lessons from Two U.S. Surveys," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(2), pages 538-566, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Erin R. Hamilton & Caitlin Patler & Robin Savinar, 2022. "Immigrant Legal Status Disparities in Health Among First- and One-point-five-Generation Latinx Immigrants in California," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 41(3), pages 1241-1260, June.
    2. R. S. Oropesa & Nancy S. Landale & Marianne M. Hillemeier, 2016. "Legal Status and Health Care: Mexican-Origin Children in California, 2001–2014," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 35(5), pages 651-684, October.
    3. Kazumi Tsuchiya & Olivia Toles & Christopher Levesque & Kimberly Horner & Eric Ryu & Linus Chan & Jack DeWaard, 2021. "Perceived structural vulnerabilities among detained noncitizen immigrants in Minnesota," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(6), pages 1-22, June.

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