Social Support, Health, and Health Care Access Among Latino Immigrant Men in an Emerging Community

Abstract

Objective: To determine the association of social support with alcohol abuse, depression, and health care access among Latino immigrant men in an emerging Latino community (an area with a small yet growing Latino population).

Methods: Cross-sectional baseline data of 140 men prior to a participatory male-to-male community health worker intervention among Latino immigrants were analyzed using logistic regression. Community health workers recruited community participants in Western Pennsylvania between 2011 and 2013.

Results: Participants constituted a vulnerable group: 47% had not finished high school, 36% had moderate to severe depression, and 30% reported binge drinking in the past month. Health care access was low (insurance = 6%, usual source = 20%). In multivariable logistic regression high social support was associated with less binge drinking (odds ratio [OR] = 0.44; 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.20, 0.98]) and lower depression (OR = 0.22; 95% CI [0.09-0.54]). Social support was associated with having a dentist visit but not with other health care access measures.

Conclusions: Results indicate that the role of social support seems important for drinking and depression but remains controversial for health care access. It raises the hypothesis that low social support may be one of the mechanisms for the increase in drinking that happens after immigration.

Keywords: Latino; community health; community-based participatory research; health disparities; immigration health; mental health.