Transborder use of medical services among Mexican American students in a U.S. border university

Abstract

The geographic and cultural proximity of sister cities along the U.S.‐Mexico border suggests that U.S. residents may circumvent financial, social, and legal barriers to healthcare by seeking care in Mexico. While most reports suggest that cross‐border use of healthcare is a common practice among low‐income Spanish‐speaking U.S. residents, little is known about groups with other socioeconomic profiles. We use data from a survey among students enrolled in a U.S. border university to examine their cross‐border utilization of healthcare. We find that use of cross‐border healthcare diminishes significantly with English language acquisition. The presence of kin on the Mexican side of the border and use of services in Mexico by co‐residents, however, increase the likelihood of students’ use of healthcare across the border.

Notes

Fernández is Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Texas at El Paso. Amastae is Director of the Center for Inter‐American and Border Studies at the University of Texas at El Paso.