IMMIGRANT HEALTH

Reimann and Rodríguez-Reimann offer a concise overview of the issues associated with immigrant health care.

In this entry in the Immigrant Strides Toward Prosperity series, the authors (Reimann is a clinical psychologist, Rodríguez-Reimann an executive at the Group for Immigrant Resettlement and Assessment) survey a broad array of the health challenges facing immigrants in their new environments. They touch on major physical issues, including tuberculosis and Covid-19, as well as the range of mental issues associated with stress (including PTSD) related to various autoimmune disorders. (“Experiencing continuous stress in which the body releases adrenaline over a longer period of time can result in continuous inflammation and other health issues. For example, chronic stress can create a physical process that leads to type 2 diabetes.”) The authors also discuss seemingly more mundane matters, such as proper dental care, noting that “even small differences in healthcare practices between countries can sow confusion.” Reimann and Rodríguez-Reimann detail the numerous psychological problems that many immigrants face when dealing with unresolved grief or trauma stemming from displacement, rape, or torture, and they stress the importance of community health workers (CHWs), known as promotoras, in bridging the gap between cultures; they note that community leaders with some health care knowledge can connect immigrant groups with health care providers. The authors also include brief insets with health care stories drawn from their personal experiences, a glossary of medical terms, and a full and detailed reference section. Reimann and Rodríguez-Reimann write with clarity and obvious knowledge, and their comprehensive approach will make this book an invaluable starting point for people working at all levels of immigrant health care. The book’s overall tone of informed hope is uplifting; with the world’s immigrant population continuing to rise every year, the need for books like this will become increasingly pressing to everybody on the front lines of overburdened health care services.

A clear, compact, and well-researched study of immigrant health care issues.