Exploring Relationships Between Transnationalism and Housing and Health Risks of Rural Latino Immigrant Families

Interviews with 78 rural low-income Latino immigrant mothers in three states (CA, OR, and IA) explored relationships between transnationalism and health and housing risks. Transnational activity based on language spoken at home, nature, and frequency of contact with family and friends in, and the extent and frequency of travel to the country of origin, was conceptualized as a continuum from high to low. Low transnational families lived in the United States twice as long and were more knowledgeable about community resources than high transnational families. Modest relationships between transnationalism and housing and health risks were identified. Thus, health and housing risk indicators may be present in low-income, rural Latino immigrant families regardless of their degree of transnationalism. Future studies are needed to further explore these relationships.