Decent Work and its Association with Mental and Physical Health among Latina Immigrants

Abstract

Latina immigrants comprise more than half of the 12.3 million immigrant women who work in the United States (U.S.) (American Immigration Council, 2017). However, they do not benefit from the same wages and workplace protections (i.e., decent work) as U.S.-born women. Latina immigrants are overrepresented in essential but low-wage jobs that are less likely to offer benefits like employee-sponsored health insurance and paid time off (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021). Yet, there is minimal research on the relationship between decent work and the physical and mental health of Latina immigrants, specifically. This is concerning, given that decent work is associated with positive physical and mental health outcomes (Duffy, Kim, et al., 2019; Duffy et al., 2021; Kozan et al., 2019). Using psychology of working theory (Duffy et al., 2016), LatCrit theory (Valdes, 1997), and mujerista psychology (Bryant-Davis & Comas-Díaz, 2016) as its frame, this study sought to address this gap in the literature through the examination of three research aims: identifying barriers to decent work specific to Latina immigrants (Aim 1); examining the relationship between decent work, physical health, and mental health (Aim 2); and testing moderation of these relationships by parental status (Aim 3). This study used a sub-sample of participants (n=591) from the 2019 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a nationally-representative survey conducted annually by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Participants in the sub-sample were first-generation Latina immigrants between the ages of 18 and 78 (M = 43.92) who worked in the past week. The majority of the sub-sample identified as Mexican-American (55.30%) and non-U.S. citizens (52.12%). Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results indicated that economic constraints significantly predicted decent work (Aim 1). Contrary to hypotheses, decent work did not predict physical health or mental health (Aim 2). Finally, residing with minor children strengthened the relationship between marginalization and decent work (Aim 3). Limitations and future directions for research, policy, and clinical practice are discussed.