Perceived vulnerability to immigration policies among postpartum Hispanic/Latina women in the MADRES pregnancy cohort before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. (September 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hernandez-Castro, Ixel; Toledo-Corral, Claudia M; Chavez, Thomas; Habre, Rima; Grubbs, Brendan; Al-Marayati, Laila; Lerner, Deborah; Lurvey, Nathana; Lagomasino, Isabel; Eckel, Sandrah P; Dunton, Genevieve F; Farzan, Shohreh F; Breton, Carrie V; Bastain, Theresa M
• Is Part Of: Women's health. Volume 18(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-09
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- immigration policy concerns -- postpartum mental health -- public health -- women's health; Gynecology -- Periodicals; Obstetrics -- Periodicals; Women -- Health and hygiene -- Periodicals; 618.05
• DOI: 10.1177/17455057221125103
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1745-5057

Abstract

Introduction and Objectives: Research suggests that perceived immigration policy vulnerability has important health implications. Coupled with the mental and physical stressors accompanying the postpartum period and a growing awareness of the discrimination and structural racism experienced by marginalized communities globally, the coronavirus disease 2019 period may have exacerbated stress among vulnerable populations, specifically postpartum Hispanic/Latina women. This study evaluated perceived immigration policy vulnerability (i.e. discrimination, social isolation, and family threats) in early postpartum Hispanic/Latina women in Los Angeles before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Methods: The Perceived Immigration Policy Effects Scale (PIPES) was administered cross-sectionally at 1 month postpartum to 187 Hispanic/Latina women in the MADRES cohort. Respondents between September 2018 and March 2020 were classified as "pre-pandemic" ( N = 128), between March 2020 and July 2020 as "early pandemic" ( N = 38), and between August 2020 and November 2021 as "later pandemic" ( N = 21). Average PIPES subscale scores were dichotomized into "higher" and "lower" groups (⩽median, >median) and logistic regression models were performed. Results: Approximately half of participants had incomes of <$50, 000 (50.3%) and were Latin American born (54.6%). After adjusting for age, nativity, education, income, postpartum distress, and employment status, early pandemic respondents had 5.05 times the odds of a higher score on the perceived discrimination subscale (95% CI: 1.81, 14.11), 6.47 times the odds of a higher score on the social isolation subscale (95% CI: 2.23, 18.74), 2.66 times the odds of a higher score on the family threats subscale (95% CI: 0.97, 7.32), and 3.36 times the odds of a higher total score (95% CI: 1.19, 9.51) when compared to pre-pandemic respondents. There were no significant subscale score differences between later pandemic and pre-pandemic periods. Conclusion: Higher perceived immigration policy vulnerability was reported among postpartum women during the early coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic versus pre-pandemic periods. This suggests greater social inequities during the early pandemic period.