Latino immigration, globalization and health: striving to find equality in the United States

Latinos are the fastest growing minority group statewide and nationally. This population contributes greatly to the culture and economy of the United States; however Latinos as a group suffer from a great amount of social inequality due to discrimination. This ethnic group is often silenced in the United States through a prejudiced social system riddled with false messages. Latinos are commonly portrayed in the media as an economic drain on society and as inhabitants taking jobs away from needy Americans. These attitudes filter into society and impact Latinos throughout the United States. This impact is exacerbated when it is paired with recent American immigrants. Social inequality faced by Latinos in America, and specifically in California, poses real difficulties for communities throughout the state and for groups working to promote Latino health and well-being. However, the study of this population and its health experience as a result of the negative stereotyping and pressures has not reached its full potential. The health and well being of Latinos warrants greater academic attention due to their lack of social equality. Furthermore, since Latinos are an integral part of the American capitalist system, their health and well-being directly affects the health of America. In this thesis I use a multiple methods approach to examine these issues. Methods include sociospatial content analysis of California newspaper articles related to Latino immigrants in combination with secondary survey data on local Latino health collected by the Eureka, California-based LatinoNet, a local networking group designed to promote the health and well-being of Latinos on the North Coast.