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System Approaches to Improving Latino Health
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System Approaches to Improving Latino Health

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 4238

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jason Daniel-Ulloa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Health Systems and Population Health, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
Interests: Latinx health; social construction of gender and the impact on health; discrimination and other challenges to educational success experienced by students from marginalized communities; community-based participatory research
Dr. Barbara Baquero

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Health Systems and Population Health, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
Interests: health equity; racial and ethnic health; urban and rural disparities; CBPR; social and structural determinants of health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce a Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research in Public Health focused on social determinants of Latina/o/x health. This Special Issue aims to bring together innovative research and insights from scholars, practitioners, and thought leaders in the field of public health. The health of people in marginalized communities is impacted by historical inequity and oppression that contribute to inequities in the various determinants (education, occupations, opportunity, socioeconomic states, etc.) of downstream health outcomes, which affect individual health outcomes (e.g., diabetes, cancer, health care access). Thus, we will be particularly interested in research that has an impact on upstream contributors to health in communities and individuals. Furthermore, in working with Latina/o/x communities, we will be looking for papers that include community engagement throughout the research and writing process. We will not limit submissions to work in the United States, although authors will need to define the social construction of Latina/o/x identities in the community in which the research takes place.

Papers can be based on quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods research, with special attention to implications for system- or institutional-level interventions.

Topics of Interest

We invite submissions on a variety of topics, including but not limited to the following:

  • Systemic causes of inequity;
  • Historical links between past and future health;
  • System-level interventions and research;
  • Community-wide interventions or research.

Dr. Jason Daniel-Ulloa
Dr. Barbara Baquero
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Latina/o/x
  • system-level determinants of health
  • discrimination
  • community-engaged science

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 293 KB  
Article
Improving Health Equity for Spanish-Speaking Latine Communities: Community Priorities, Challenges, and Recommendations
by Sandy K. Aguilar-Palma, Lilli Mann-Jackson, Jorge Alonzo, Amanda E. Tanner, Thomas P. McCoy, Alain G. Bertoni, Omar Valera and Scott D. Rhodes
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2026, 23(4), 472; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23040472 - 9 Apr 2026
Viewed by 587
Abstract
Our community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnership convened an in-person, bilingual empowerment theory-based community forum to disseminate and translate findings from our trial of Nuestra Comunidad Saludable (Our Healthy Community), a multilevel intervention designed to improve uptake of COVID-19 testing and vaccination among Spanish-speaking [...] Read more.
Our community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnership convened an in-person, bilingual empowerment theory-based community forum to disseminate and translate findings from our trial of Nuestra Comunidad Saludable (Our Healthy Community), a multilevel intervention designed to improve uptake of COVID-19 testing and vaccination among Spanish-speaking Latine communities in North Carolina. The forum brought together community members, healthcare providers, organizational representatives, and academic researchers from across North Carolina. Drawing on findings from the intervention trial, participants engaged in facilitated, structured dialogue to identify community priorities and generate recommendations to advance health equity among Latine communities. Thirty-six participants identified eight priorities: (1) reducing health service gaps and inequities exposed by COVID-19; (2) expanding access to bilingual, culturally responsive mental health services; (3) improving understanding of HIV prevention and treatment; (4) strengthening services for children with disabilities; (5) protecting immigrant rights and ensuring safe access to services; (6) increasing political and social support for Latine health; (7) improving access to trusted, culturally responsive providers and community organizations; and (8) addressing social determinants of health, including employment, housing, and food security. The empowerment-based forum identified community priorities, challenges, and recommendations that can inform practice, intervention, policy, and research, and advance health equity for Spanish-speaking Latine communities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue System Approaches to Improving Latino Health)
23 pages, 837 KB  
Article
Policy, Price, and Perception: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study of the Rural Food Environment Among Latina Households
by Natalia B. Santos, Thais F. Alves, TinaMaria Fernandez and Chad Abresch
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(12), 1800; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22121800 - 28 Nov 2025
Viewed by 731
Abstract
Food insecurity disproportionately affects Hispanic households in the US. This study examines food access perceptions among rural Latinos, acknowledging that food environments are complex systems influenced by factors such as availability, accessibility, affordability, acceptability, and accommodation. This phenomenological qualitative study was conducted with [...] Read more.
Food insecurity disproportionately affects Hispanic households in the US. This study examines food access perceptions among rural Latinos, acknowledging that food environments are complex systems influenced by factors such as availability, accessibility, affordability, acceptability, and accommodation. This phenomenological qualitative study was conducted with adult Latinas living in Nebraska’s rural areas. Data was collected through participatory mapping, semi-structured interviews guided by the five dimensions of food access, and demographic surveys. Eighteen women participated in in-person interviews, and 68.3% of participants met the criteria for food insecurity. While chain stores were the primary shopping option in rural areas, challenges included limited availability of foods that are culturally relevant and accommodate special dietary needs. Ethnic stores were valued for cultural relevance despite concerns about quality and pricing. Overall, affordability was a significant barrier due to high rural costs, worsened by challenges in navigating nutrition program benefits and documentation status. Research or interventions targeting improvements in rural food security must extend beyond mere store availability, focusing on economic development, policy reform, and enhanced education in assistance programs to address these complex challenges. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue System Approaches to Improving Latino Health)
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11 pages, 304 KB  
Article
Association of Individual and Contextual Factors with Chronic Spine Problems: An Analysis from the National Health Survey
by Aryostennes Miquéias da Silva Ferreira, Sanderson José Costa de Assis, Clécio Gabriel de Souza, Geronimo José Bouzas Sanchis, Rebeca Freitas de Oliveira Nunes, Marcello Barbosa Otoni Gonçalves Guedes, Johnnatas Mikael Lopes and Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(6), 879; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22060879 - 31 May 2025
Viewed by 845
Abstract
The spine is the most affected region, which compromises functionality and generates absenteeism, increased health care costs, and disability retirement rates. Based on the biopsychosocial model, it is believed that chronic back problems are the result of a complex network of factors, both [...] Read more.
The spine is the most affected region, which compromises functionality and generates absenteeism, increased health care costs, and disability retirement rates. Based on the biopsychosocial model, it is believed that chronic back problems are the result of a complex network of factors, both individual and contextual. A cross-sectional study was developed with data from the 2013 National Health Survey, the United Nations Development Programme, and the National Register of Health Establishments (state level) for the second and third levels of aggregation, respectively. Multilevel Poisson regression was performed at three levels. The prevalence of chronic back problems was 18.5% (95% CI 17.8; 19.1), with a higher prevalence in females (RP = 1.23; 95% CI 1.15; 1.30), those aged above 49 years (RP = 1.75; 95% CI 1.61; 1.90), those performing heavy activities at work (RP = 1.37; 95% CI 1.28; 1.46), those with depressive days (RP = 1.70; 95% CI 1.50; 1.94), those who were smokers (RP = 1.37; 95% CI 1.27; 1.48), and those in states with a higher coefficient of Family Health Support Team per 100,000 inhabitants (PR = 1.28; 95% CI 1.07; 1.54). Chronic spine problems were associated with biological and behavioral factors and were more strongly associated with the coefficient of Family Health Support Team in Brazilian municipalities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue System Approaches to Improving Latino Health)

Review

Jump to: Research

12 pages, 290 KB  
Review
U.S. Immigration Policy Environment Contributions to Maternal and Child Health in the Latino Population
by Cynthia N. Lebron, Anna-Michelle McSorley, Vanessa Morales, Hannah T. Peterson and Veronica Morales
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2026, 23(3), 275; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23030275 - 24 Feb 2026
Viewed by 1274
Abstract
Latino families in the United States experience persistent maternal and child health (MCH) inequities driven by a fragmented immigration and public benefits policy environment rather than inherent health differences. Although most Latino children are U.S.-born citizens, many live in mixed-status families in which [...] Read more.
Latino families in the United States experience persistent maternal and child health (MCH) inequities driven by a fragmented immigration and public benefits policy environment rather than inherent health differences. Although most Latino children are U.S.-born citizens, many live in mixed-status families in which immigration status determines eligibility for health care, nutrition assistance, and other essential services. This narrative policy review examines U.S. immigration and public benefit policies from 1965 to 2025 to assess how eligibility rules, enforcement practices, and policy instability shape access to maternal and child health services among Latino populations. Drawing on public health, legal, and social science literature, the review documents substantial variation in access to Medicaid, CHIP, nutrition programs, and emergency care by immigration status and state policy. Findings indicate that restrictive eligibility criteria, expansions and contractions of the public charge rule, and immigration enforcement practices have produced chilling effects that deter eligible families from accessing care, reduce prenatal and postpartum service utilization, and contribute to adverse birth outcomes and intergenerational health inequities. The review concludes that immigration policy functions as a structural determinant of MCH and identifies two key policy priorities: 1. maintaining the 2022 Final Public Charge Rule that excludes public safety-net programs, and 2. waiving the five-year Medicaid waiting period for all pregnant immigrants regardless of documentation status to ensure equitable access to essential maternal and child health care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue System Approaches to Improving Latino Health)
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