Ramona L. Pérez

Good and Bad Death: Exploring the Perspectives of Older Mexican Americans

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the domains that define a good death from the perspectives of healthy Mexican American older adults. Qualitative data from face-to-face interviews with 18 participants residing in Southern California were analyzed. Five categories regarding the concepts of good and bad death include no suffering, living life with faith, having time for closure with family, dying at home, and a natural death. Understanding the meaning of good and bad death within specific cultural contexts is integral to promoting cultural sensitivity when working with older adults, especially in end-of-life care.

Crossing the border from boyhood to manhood: male youth experiences of crossing, loss, and structural violence as unaccompanied minors

Despite the immense literature that exists on the dilemmas and unjust practices surrounding migration, little has been written about the youth who make migratory journeys on their own or who are separated from their adult companions along the way. Termed ‘Unaccompanied Alien Children’ by Homeland Security, the experiences of these youth provide insight into how immigration policies are enacted and how they reflect national views on the poor and marginalised. The research discussed here covers six years of interviews and participant observation with male youth residing in shelters on both sides of the US/Mexico border at the San Diego/Tijuana corridor. The research demonstrates how state policies and perceptions of gendered male youth by both nations reinvents them as dangerous while at the same time denies them a masculine subjectivity, thereby furthering their marginalisation and assuring their failure.

Deportation and mental health among migrants who inject drugs along the US–Mexico border

ABSTRACT This study describes the prevalence and factors of depressive symptoms among a sample of persons who inject drugs (PWID) with a history of deportation from the US in Tijuana, Mexico. In 2014, 132 deported PWID completed a structured questionnaire. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Short Depression Scale (CESD-10) screening instrument. Eligible participants were ≥18 years old, injected drugs in the past month, spoke English or Spanish, and resided in Tijuana. Multivariate analyses identified factors associated with depressive symptoms. Among deported PWID, 45% reported current symptoms of depression. Deported PWID who were initially detained in the US for a crime-related reason before being deported (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 5.27; 95% CI: 1.79–15.52) and who perceived needing help with their drug use (AOR: 2.15; 95% 1.01–4.61) had higher odds of reporting depressive symptoms. Our findings highlight the need for effective strategies targeting deported migrants who inject drugs to treat mental health and drug abuse in Tijuana. Investing in the mental health of deported PWID may also be a viable HIV prevention strategy.