During the period from 2010 to 2014, five out of 10 Latin Americans lacked access to medical services, 13% of Latin Americans had a negative perception of their health condition, and nine percent had previously been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, while 9% of this population was over the age of 65; this group has increased and will rise further as part of an aging population. 

This situation involves a series of challenges and opportunities for the countries concerned. Academia, the private sector and community organizations have therefore addressed some of these to create the Health Initiative of the Americas (HIA) and for 11 years have been working on a series of publications called “Migration and Health,”1 whose goal has been to present the main research results on migrants’ health in the United States. 

In recent years, international migration has been characterized by increased intensity and greater diversity. From 2010 to 2014, about 17.5 million people born in Latin America were living in the U.S. -- 11.8 million from Mexico, 3.1 million from Central America and 2.6 million from South America.

The report is divided into four sections: the first addresses the sociodemographic characteristics of the migrant population; the second covers access to medical insurance; the third explores three main health issues: diabetes mellitus, mental illness and issues affecting the elderly; the final section discusses joint actions for the health care of migrants and their families in the U.S.