Latino kids in states with more anti-immigrant laws are in poorer health, study finds

It is not surprising but anti-immigrant policies have real life health impacts.  Edwin Flores for NBC News reports that Latino children living in states with more anti-immigrant laws and policies — and the resulting inequities in access — were linked to higher odds of chronic physical or mental health conditions, according to a study published this week in the medical journal Pediatrics.  “This study underscores the importance of addressing the health impacts of state laws as well as the effects of public attitudes that perpetuate racist and/or antiimmigrant sentiments, all of which influence access to opportunities and resources that promote healthy development,” authors wrote in “State-Level Anti-Immigrant Sentiment and Policies and Health Risks in US Latino Children,” (Slopen N, et al. Pediatrics. Aug. 15, 2023).

KJ