About this Research Topic
US-Mexico border region area has unique social, demographic and policy forces at work that shape the health of its residents as well as serves as a microcosm of migration health challenges facing an increasingly mobile and globalized world. This region reflects the largest migratory flow between any two nations in the world. Data from the Pew Research Center shows over the last 25 years there has never been lower than 140,000 annul immigrants from Mexico to the United States (with peaks over 700,000). This migratory route is extremely hazardous due to natural (e.g., arid and hot desert regions) and human made barriers as well as border enforcement practices in response to geopolitical influences. Also reflecting the national interdependency of public health and human services needs, during the most recent five year period surveyed (Pew Research Center) the migratory flow between the US and Mexico has equaled the flow Mexico to the US--both around 1.4 million persons. Of particular public health concern, within the US-Mexico region of both nations there is among the highest disparities in income, education, infrastructure and access to health care--factors categorized by the World Health Organization as the Social Determinants of Health, and among the highest rates of chronic and infectious disease. Furthermore, obesity and diabetes rates in this region are among the highest of those observed in the world, with adult population estimates of the former over 40% and estimates in some population sub-groups for the latter over 20%. This call is for Research Topic manuscripts that address public health issues in the US-Mexico border region. Manuscripts can be based on original data, secondary data or empirically-based research syntheses, and should include pragmatic solutions (e.g., new programs, technology or infrastructure) or public health policy recommendations relevant to addressing the specific border health topic discussed. Submissions relevant to a broad range of topical areas are requested, including those as outlined in US Mexico Border Health Commission’s Healthy Border 2020 objectives: Non Communicable Diseases (including adult and childhood obesity-related ones; cancer), Infectious Diseases (e.g., tuberculosis; HIV; emerging diseases), Maternal and Child Health, Mental Health Disorders, and Motor Vehicle Accidents. Other relevant public health issues affecting this region, for example reflecting environmental health, binational health services coordination (e.g., immunization), the impact of migration from other nations in the Americas and the world in this region, health issues related to the physical climate, access to quality health care, discrimination/mistreatment and well-being, acculturative or immigration stress, violence, substance use/abuse, oral health, respiratory disease, and/or well-being from a social determinants of health framework are also encouraged for submission.
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
