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In an increasingly mobile world, the integration of immigrants and displaced individuals is an important factor in creating cohesive and inclusive societies. Integration has different dimensions; this scoping review examines the conceptualization and measurement of economic integration among immigrants and refugees in the United States. Quantitative peer-reviewed journal papers measuring or conceptualizing the economic integration of first-generation documented adult immigrants or refugees in the United States, as well as relevant conceptual or theory papers on this topic, were included in the review. The search strategy included an online search of the Web of Science Core Collection, PsycINFO, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA), and EconLit. Additional search strategies included scanning the reference lists of studies identified as relevant in the initial database search. An analysis of 72 studies included in the review using a data extraction table reveals seven key domains of economic integration: income and economic security, employment and occupational categories, assets and use of financial services, neighborhood and housing, health, education, and use of public assistance. Income and economic security emerged as the most common indicators of integration in the reviewed studies. Notably, less than half of the reviewed publications had a multidimensional approach to defining or measuring economic integration, and the majority of studies were focused on immigrants, with a smaller proportion dedicated to refugees. This review emphasizes the need for comprehensive frameworks in assessing economic integration among immigrants and refugees, reflecting the multifaceted nature of their economic integration experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in the United States (US) has disproportionately affected minority populations more than their white counterparts. A population that is often overlooked is the Asian American population, particularly Southeastern Asian immigrants. Despite having relatively favorable socioeconomic indicators compared to the general US population, Asian Americans, specifically Southeast Asian individuals, face a significant burden of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and are considered a high cardiovascular disease risk group. In addition, most studies have aggregated Asian populations into one major racial group rather than analyzing the different ethnicities among the Asian categorization. While some studies suggest that the acculturation process has some degree of impact on cardiovascular health, there has not been a widely-used tool to measure or ascertain the totality of acculturation. Instead, multiple proxies have been used to measure acculturation, and prior studies have argued for more culturally-tailored acculturation proxies. This paper aims to assess the implications of different acculturation measures on cardiovascular health among Asian Americans, particularly Southeastern Asian immigrants. The following proxies were expanded on in this paper: English spoken at home, length of stay in the US, religiosity and spirituality, and admixed family structures. Previous studies showed that as the length of stay in the US increases, the burden of cardiovascular risk factors increases. However, the impact of English spoken at home, religiosity, and admixed family structure are still inconclusive given the extent of current studies. While most studies suggest that an increase in acculturation increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, it is critical to note that acculturation is a multifaceted process. Therefore, more studies are necessary to appropriately examine the implications of various acculturation processes on cardiovascular risk factors in Asians, specifically Southeastern Asian individuals in the US. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper applies the concept of racialization to an analysis of research on the child welfare system's racial disparities and its interactions with Black African immigrant families. This conceptual paper makes the argument that Black African immigrants are an important population of focus for U.S. child welfare system research, and that the use of a racialization lens is necessary to interpret the experiences of the increasingly diverse, Black-racialized population with the child welfare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Executive Summary: Millions of Venezuelans have fled their country in hopes for a better future outside the political and financial turmoil in their home country. This paper examines the self-reported needs of Venezuelans in the United States and Colombia. Specifically, it looks at perceived discrimination in each country and its effect on the service needs of Venezuelan immigrants. The authors used data from a larger project conducted in October to November 2017 to perform a qualitative content analysis on the specific services that participants and others like them would need following immigration. The sample consisted of 647 Venezuelan immigrant adults who had migrated to the United States (n = 342) or Colombia (n = 305). Its findings indicate statistically significant differences between the two countries. Venezuelan immigrants in the United States were more likely to identity mental health and educational service needs, while those in Colombia were more likely to list access to healthcare, help finding jobs, and food assistance. When looking at perceived discrimination, means scores for discrimination were significantly greater for participants who indicated needing housing services, who indicated needing assistance enrolling children in school and who indicated needing food assistance, compared to participants who did not list those needs. Venezuelans who had experienced greater negative context of reception were less likely to indicate needing mental health services, where 11.9 percent of those who did not perceive a negative context of reception responded that they needed mental health services. Evaluating existing service networks will be essential in working to bridge the gap between the services provided to and requested by Venezuelans. Collaboration between diverse government actors, community-based organizations (CBOs) and other stakeholders can help identify gaps in existing service networks. CBOs can also facilitate communication between Venezuelan immigrants and their new communities, on the need to invest in necessary services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chinese American immigrants have been underrepresented in health research partly due to challenges in recruitment. Objectives: This study aims to describe recruitment and retention strategies and report adherence in a 7-day observational physical activity study of Chinese American immigrants with prior gestational diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Foreign-born Chinese women aged 18--45 years, with a gestational diabetes index pregnancy of 0.5--5 years, who were not pregnant and had no current diabetes diagnosis were recruited. They wore an accelerometer for 7 consecutive days and completed an online survey. Multiple recruitment strategies were used: (a) culturally and linguistically tailored flyers, (b) social media platforms (e.g., WeChat [a popular Chinese platform] and Facebook), (c) near-peer recruitment and snowball sampling, and (d) a study website. Retention strategies included flexible scheduling and accommodation, rapid communications, and incentives. Adherence strategies included a paper diary and/or automated daily text reminders with a daily log for device wearing, daily email reminders for the online survey, close monitoring, and timely problem-solving. Results: Participants were recruited from 17 states; 108 were enrolled from August 2020 to August 2021. There were 2,479 visits to the study webpage, 194 screening entries, and 149 inquiries about the study. Their mean age was 34.3 years, and the mean length of U.S. stay was 9.2 years. Despite community outreach, participants weremainly recruited fromsocialmedia (e.g., WeChat). The majority were recruited via near-peer recruitment and snowball sampling. The retention rate was 96.3%; about 99% had valid actigraphy data, and 81.7% wore the device for 7 days. The majority of devices were successfully returned, and the majority completed the online survey on time. Discussion: We demonstrated the feasibility of recruiting and retaining a geographically diverse sample of Chinese American immigrants with prior gestational diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recruiting Chinese immigrants via social media (e.g., WeChat) is a viable approach. Nonetheless, more inclusive recruitment strategies are needed to ensure broad representation from diverse socioeconomic groups of immigrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social workers are well positioned to meet the needs of the immigrant population in the United States (U.S.) and social workers across all fields and specializations should both feel competent and have the appropriate skills to work with immigrant clients. In this paper, we provide context around the immigrant population in the U.S. and discuss social work's role in helping immigrants, and the role of the MSW degree in helping to prepare social workers to work with immigrants. Using publicly available data on MSW school websites, we analyze the prevalence of courses that specifically focus on immigrants or immigration. We found a lack of semester-long immigrant-specific courses in that only 12% of the programs offered these courses. We also noted the geographic clustering of some programs that offer these courses. We propose that schools do one of the following depending on their current course offerings, faculty expertise, and other resources: ensuring that basic content and case examples about immigrants are included in foundational social work courses, and when feasible or appropriate create elective courses, or create a concentration for those wishing to specialize in social work practice with immigrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Aging populations and an increasing number of immigrants in recent years have led to numerous changes in intergenerational relationships. Although many studies have investigated the impact of providing care to a parent with dementia, little is known about the impact of caregiving activities provided from a distance, such as in the case of immigration, and over a long period of time to a person with dementia. Our understanding of how transnational caregiving for a person with dementia affects relationships is also limited. Using the Intergenerational Solidarity Theory as a theoretical framework, this paper examines the experiences of adult children and immigrant caregivers of a parent with dementia living in Poland. Methods A qualitative, semistructured interview was conducted with 37 caregivers living in the United States while providing transnational care to a parent with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia. The data analysis was based on the thematic analysis strategy. Results Four themes were identified: (1) filial obligations and solidarity, (2) caregivers' contradictory emotions regarding transnational care, (3) financial and emotional exhaustion, and (4) challenges of nursing home dilemmas. Discussion Transnational caregivers represent a unique group who face distinctive challenges related to competing demands and limited resources. This study contributes to a better understanding of their experiences whereas the findings highlight the importance of addressing the mental and physical well-being of immigrant caregivers of individuals with dementia and have important implications for health care professionals and immigration policies. Implications for future research were also identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article begins with an overview of the policy environment in the United States and abroad for skilled immigration, with a particular focus on "supply-driven" versus "demand-driven" systems. The overview emphasizes that firms play a central role in the skilled immigration process in most countries. I then survey the ample evidence that skilled immigrants have a strong positive effect on firm outcomes, followed by a discussion of the many margins of adjustment that firms have when their access to skilled immigrants is affected by national immigration policy. Finally, given such margins of adjustment and the importance of skilled immigrants to firms, I consider how the policies that affect skilled migration shape the global geography and quality of innovation. I conclude by discussing policy implications and open questions. In particular, I emphasize that evaluations of the impact of skilled immigration should not be constrained within borders: immigration flows and national immigration policies affect the global geography of innovation and investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Process-based policing represents a strategy for building productive relationships between the police and residents. This study used data from in-depth qualitative interviews with Nigerian immigrants living in a large city to gauge the potential utility of this strategy. Although participants expected the police to behave in a manner consistent with an idealized image of the United States, police contacts were typically characterized as procedurally unfair, which negatively affected their social identity, their support for the police, and their willingness to comply and cooperate. Participants indicated that such treatment signaled to them that the police considered migrants an outgroup whose members represented a threat to public order and required higher levels of social control. Nevertheless, the evidence suggested that procedurally just tactics may prove effective over time, which could help immigrants identify with the police, support them, and report crimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We intend to identify the links between COVID-19, intimate partner violence (IPV), and intimate femicide (IF) for women in the United States by answering the following questions: (1) what does the existing literature say about the intersection of COVID-19, IPV, and IF and (2) what are the contributing factors leading to rates of violence against women during COVID-19? Method: This topical review summarizes studies published on IPV and IF during the initial stages of COVID-19 covering the period of March 1, 2020, to July 31, 2021. This review identified 22 articles addressing rates of IPV and IF during COVID-19, exacerbating risk factors for women, and recommendations for responses and intervention efforts. Results: Findings revealed an increase in help-seeking calls during the initial phase of the pandemic and COVID-related circumstances such as extended confinement, unemployment, school closures, social isolation, and financial strains intensifying women's experiences of violence. Data also revealed an increase in purchasing firearms, which increases the risk of women being killed by an intimate partner (Lyons et al., 2020). The nexus of COVID-19 and IPV disproportionately impact women, specifically, Latina immigrants. Implications for utilizing an intersectional framework to further examine these issues and promote social and political change are provided. Conclusion: Since the rates of IPV and femicide have been reported as increasing during COVID-19, understanding the complexities and stressors associated with life in a pandemic is essential for addressing inequalities women face and the health of our communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wide range of sub-national immigration and immigrant-related policies have been adopted in the United States in the last two decades. Using data from the Urban Institute and IPUMS, the authors analyze the impact of state-level policy climates related to enforcement, integration, and public benefits on inter-state mobility for immigrants. The findings of the present analysis show that immigrants are responsive to changes in the state-level immigration policy climate. They are less likely to move out of states that are on balance more supportive of the foreign-born population and more likely to relocate from restrictive states. In addition, the policy impacts do not vary significantly by immigrants' education, language fluency, or employment status, calling into question whether the policies miss their intended targets. These findings have implications for local governments and agencies in policy design and implementation as they continue to develop policies targeting the foreign-born population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Emerging bilingual children represent a diverse population with regard to their language learning histories and individual factors. When assessing a bilingual child, it is important to accurately differentiate typical second-language learning characteristics from differences that indicate a disorder. The Iranian scholarly and clinical communities have established essential linguistic norms and identified linguistic and nonlinguistic indicators of speech and language disorder in Farsi-speaking children. The community has also developed assessment tools that are useful when evaluating the language skills of bilingual Farsi- English--speaking children. Method: We present some relevant characteristics of the Farsi-speaking community and summarize the literature related to linguistic norms and the characteristics of the Farsi language, particularly related to the phonological and morphosyntactic structure of Farsi. To illustrate the diversity in bilingual children's profiles and the need for individualized assessment, we present two case studies of sequential emerging Farsi--English bilingual children. Results: We present the children's assessment results and report clinical indicators of a language disorder. The case examples are used to highlight several recommendations for conducting individualized and culturally sensitive assessments. Conclusions: This tutorial highlights the need for a comprehensive and individualized assessment of a bilingual child. Specific assessment tools and procedures are outlined to support clinicians in completing accurate and sensitive evaluations of Farsi--English bilingual children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that past inflation experiences strongly predict homeownership within and across countries. First, we collect novel survey data, which reveal inflation protection to be a key motivation for homeownership, especially after high inflation experiences. Second, using household data from 22 European countries, we find that higher exposure to historical inflation predicts higher homeownership rates. We estimate similar associations among immigrants to the United States who experienced different past inflation in their home countries but face the same U.S. housing market. Consistent with the experience effects model, the relationship is strongest in countries with predominantly fixed‐rate mortgages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I study institutional and political determinants of migrants' immigration strategies using the United States' immigration system as a case study. Drawing from work that theoretically connects decisions to immigrate legally vs. illegally as well as theoretical insights from literature on the economics of crime, I show how relative probabilities of successful migration using different strategies and relative utility gained using different strategies weigh heavily in immigrants' calculus. To do so, I use qualitative evidence of migrant strategies in the face of migration policy constraints. These various policy constraints lead to a variety of different tactics revolving around decisions regarding whether to immigrate legally, to commit visa fraud, or to choose one type of visa over another. In the process, I also build on a rich body of Public Choice literature to demonstrate how complicated regulatory systems, in this case regulatory systems that quantitatively restrict migration, encourage rent-seeking by both migrants and nonmigrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined how different living/eating arrangements were associated with loneliness and depressive symptoms among older Korean immigrants. We examined gender differences considering: (1) patterns of living/eating arrangements and their relations with loneliness and mental distress and (2) indirect effect of living/eating arrangements on mental distress through feeling lonely. Data were drawn from the Study of Older Korean Americans that surveyed older; Korean immigrants during 2017–2018 (N = 2150). Living/eating arrangements were classified in the combination of four categores. Using the PROCESS macro, we tested gender differences in the mediation effect of loneliness on the relationship between living/eating arrangements and mental distress while controlling for background/health characteristics and social connectedness-related variables. The mediating role of loneliness was manifested differentially between men and women. By administering simple measures of living/eating arrangements, practitioners could potentially identify key targets to improve social and mental well-being, particularly among older immigrants with limited resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A majority of individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP) in the U.S. are foreign-born, creating a complex intersection of language, socio-economic, and policy barriers to healthcare access and achieving good outcomes. Mapping the research literature is key to addressing how LEP intersects with healthcare. This scoping review followed PRISMA-ScR guidelines and included PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts, EconLit, and Academic Search Premier. Study selection included quantitative studies since 2000 with outcomes specified for adults with LEP residing in the U.S. related to healthcare service access or defined health outcomes, including healthcare costs. A total of 137 articles met the inclusion criteria. Major outcomes included ambulatory care, hospitalization, screening, specific conditions, and general health. Overall, the literature identified differential access to and utilization of healthcare across multiple modalities with poorer outcomes among LEP populations compared with English-proficient populations. Current research includes inconsistent definitions for LEP populations, primarily cross-sectional studies, small sample sizes, and homogeneous language and regional samples. Current regulations and practices are insufficient to address the barriers that LEP individuals face to healthcare access and outcomes. Changes to EMRs and other data collection to consistently include LEP status and more methodologically rigorous studies are needed to address healthcare disparities for LEP individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Culturally relevant exercises may help improve health and address disparities faced by older immigrants due to language and cultural barriers. Few studies have focused on such exercise interventions among older Chinese immigrants at US daycare centers. Methods. We conducted a 10-week nonrandomized controlled trial in older Chinese immigrants in Philadelphia, US. The intervention group practiced Chinese Qigong (Baduanjin) 5 days a week guided by trained research assistants and video instructions. The control group maintained their usual daily activities. We collected self-report assessments on overall health, sleep, and fatigue and implemented two computerized cognitive tests measuring psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) and memory twice, preintervention and postintervention. Repeated measures general linear model (GLM) and paired samples t-tests were used for data analyses. Results. Eighty-eight older adults (Qigong, n = 53; control, n = 35) with an average age of 78.13 (SD = 5.05) were included. Groups showed no significant differences at baseline evaluation. After the 10-week exercise, the intervention group showed significant improvements in overall health (p = 0.032), fatigue (p < 0.001), and cognitive functions including memory (p = 0.01), response speed (p = 0.002), and response time (p = 0.012) on the PVT, as well as marginally significant benefits in sleep (p = 0.058). Between-group comparisons identified significant group-by-time interactions in health (p = 0.024), sleep (p = 0.004), fatigue (p = 0.004), and memory (p = 0.004). Conclusion. We revealed significant positive effects of Qigong in older Chinese immigrants across multiple health domains. Findings highlight the potential of a culturally relevant exercise in addressing health disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the increased scholarship on sanctuary localities in the United States, there is little research analyzing the factors that lead to the adoption of sanctuary resolutions at the municipal level. Drawing on a new dataset of sanctuary and nonsanctuary cities, we theorize that policy adoption is driven primarily by two factors and their interaction: the size of the foreign-born population and local partisanship. We examine cities that passed sanctuary policies between 2000 and 2018 and compare these localities to nonsanctuaries. Using a novel time series cross-section dataset (TSCS) of all cities and designated places and a Cox proportional hazard model, we find that Democratic-leaning cities with high foreign-born populations predict sanctuary passage, whereas Republican-leaning cities with larger foreign-born populations are unlikely to adopt these policies. We thus find that while partisanship motivates sanctuary policy adoption, at the same time, the size of the foreign-born population also increases the likelihood of passage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetes is a chronic illness and increasing among older populations. Self-care is a critical element in managing diabetes. Orem's Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory (SCDNT) has been used and applied in nursing to explain significant self-care concepts. Although older Korean immigrants are marginalized in maintaining optimal health status and accessing adequate health services, related studies are still lacking. Utilization of Orem's SCDNT allows nurses to better understand associated factors in self-care among older Korean immigrants with diabetes. Purpose: The first aim is to explain the significant concepts of SCDNT. The second aim is to examine basic conditioning factors on self-care among older Korean immigrants with diabetes based on Orem's SCDNT. Methods: Each concept and structure of Orem's SCDNT was described with a table and figure. The 10 basic conditioning factors in self-care among older Korean immigrants with diabetes were investigated based on the previous literature and discussed in terms of Orem's SCDNT. Results: By exploring the 10 basic conditioning factors among older Korean immigrants, nurses can identify related factors in the self-care of this minority immigrant group and initiate the development of culturally tailored and age-specific nursing interventions. Implications for Nursing Practice: This study provides an understanding of related self-care factors among older Korean immigrants with diabetes. Additionally, the findings will help nurses to develop customized effective interventions and implement appropriate diabetes care for this minority group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review sought to describe the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization among immigrants in the United States (U.S.) and the prevalence of IPV perpetration among immigrants in the U.S. PsycInfo, PubMed, Global Health and Scopus databases were searched for peer-reviewed literature that quantitatively examined IPV in relation to immigration. Twenty-four articles were included in the final review. Past-year IPV victimization rates among immigrants ranged from 3.8% to 46.9% and lifetime IPV victimization rates ranged from 13.9% to 93%; past-year IPV perpetration rates ranged from 3.0% to 24.8% and the one lifetime IPV perpetration rate was 12.8%. Estimates varied widely by country of origin, type of violence measured, and measure used to quantify IPV. Reliance on small convenience samples is problematic when trying to determine the true prevalence of IPV among immigrants. Epidemiological research is needed to improve the accuracy and representativeness of findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the politics of welfare, citizens often prioritize natives over immigrants. What conditions reduce welfare discrimination against immigrants? Original survey experiments from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy reveal that the divide between natives and immigrants remains the fundamental cleavage in the politics of welfare. All immigrants face welfare penalties, including immigrants from Western countries. Even young, progressive, highly educated, and economically secure native citizens strongly penalize immigrants. Although immigrants never fully overcome identity barriers, the welfare support gap between natives and immigrants decreases when immigrants have a long work history. A history of employment provides evidence of reciprocity through past contributions and signals immigrants' commitment to the community. Other immigrants' characteristics, such as higher education and proactive work attitude, fail to decrease the gap. This article contributes to the study of solidarity in diverse societies and the impact of immigration on the welfare state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]