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The Health Literacy of U.S. Immigrant Adolescents: A Neglected Research Priority in a Changing World

Author

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  • Maricel G. Santos

    (Department of English, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA)

  • Anu L. Gorukanti

    (Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA)

  • Lina M. Jurkunas

    (American Language Institute, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA)

  • Margaret A. Handley

    (Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
    Department of Medicine Division of General Internal Medicine, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA)

Abstract

Immigrant adolescents are the fastest-growing sector among U.S. youth, but they receive little attention in health literacy research. Immigrant adolescents are a diverse population tasked with mastering new literacies while also navigating new social systems. Many immigrant adolescents serve as important linguistic and cultural resources in their families and local communities, and yet their contributions (and struggles) as new navigators of our health care system remain invisible. In this commentary article, we argue that health literacy researchers need to devote more attention to immigrant adolescents and the pathways by which they learn new language and literacy skills while also developing their own health habits and behaviors. We contend that the study of immigrant adolescents provides a critical window into health literacy as a socially and historically situated practice, specifically how immigrant adolescents’ transnational experiences shape their learning of new health literacy practices. With a coordinated interdisciplinary research agenda on immigrant adolescents, the health literacy field will expand its empirical base for what becoming “health literate” looks like in today’s globalizing world.

Suggested Citation

  • Maricel G. Santos & Anu L. Gorukanti & Lina M. Jurkunas & Margaret A. Handley, 2018. "The Health Literacy of U.S. Immigrant Adolescents: A Neglected Research Priority in a Changing World," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-18, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:10:p:2108-:d:171899
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nutbeam, Don, 2008. "The evolving concept of health literacy," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(12), pages 2072-2078, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Janine Bröder & Orkan Okan & Torsten M. Bollweg & Dirk Bruland & Paulo Pinheiro & Ullrich Bauer, 2019. "Child and Youth Health Literacy: A Conceptual Analysis and Proposed Target-Group-Centred Definition," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-17, September.
    2. Steven Hoffman & Heidi Adams Rueda & Lauren Beasley, 2019. "Youth Perspectives of Healthcare in Central Mexico: An Application of Massey’s Critical Health Literacy Framework," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-14, March.
    3. Ümran Sema Seven & Mendy Stoll & Dennis Dubbert & Christian Kohls & Petra Werner & Elke Kalbe, 2020. "Perception, Attitudes, and Experiences Regarding Mental Health Problems and Web Based Mental Health Information Amongst Young People with and without Migration Background in Germany. A Qualitative Stu," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(1), pages 1-24, December.
    4. Shuaijun Guo & Xiaoming Yu & Elise Davis & Rebecca Armstrong & Elisha Riggs & Lucio Naccarella, 2020. "Adolescent Health Literacy in Beijing and Melbourne: A Cross-Cultural Comparison," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-17, February.

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