This paper comparatively investigates the differential access to health care services available to Latinos immigrants in the two diverse cities of Miami and Los Angeles. Through presenting an overview of the various degrees of incorporation into American society of Latinos in Miami and Los Angeles, this paper ascertains the impact of this differential access on the incorporation of Latinos and establishes the relative variety of contemporary health care services available in each city.
This study puts forward the importance of public policies in urban areas regarding community involvement and incorporation into American society. Particularly, by analyzing two diverse and geographically distant cities, yet both with large Latino immigrant populations, this paper will bring to light patterns that are relevant to public policies.
Given the rapid demographic changes and in a context of health care reform in the United States, understanding the relationship between incorporation and access to health care services for the Latino population has become a public policy issue. Although there is a large literature on Latinos generally, not much is known about the specific relationship between access to health care services, and the incorporation of Latino groups in different urban areas.
The data for this study was collected in 2011 and 2012 through over 120 semi-structured qualitative interviews of Latino immigrants in these cities, averaging each 55 minutes in length.
