摘要：Researchers have posited that social ties and social support may contribute to better-than-expected health outcomes among Mexican immigrants vis-à-vis their US-born counterparts. However, in our review of studies examining social ties and health by immigration-related variables among this group, we found little support for this hypothesis. To better understand the social factors that contribute to the health of Mexicans in the United States, we conducted a qualitative analysis of social relationships and social context among first- and second-generation Mexican women. Our results highlight the interplay between immigration processes and social ties, draw attention to the importance of identity support and transnational social relationships, and suggest ways to reconceptualize the relationship between social contexts, social ties, and immigrant and Latino health. The complexities in Latino health patterns 1 – 5 call for a deeper examination of the social contexts that influence them, including those related to immigration. Through a qualitative analysis of social ties and social context among Mexican immigrant women and their second-generation counterparts, we sought to better understand how social factors influence Latino and immigrant health.
