title: Healthcare access among circular and undocumented Mexican migrants: results from a pilot survey on the Mexico-US border.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Temporary and unauthorized migrants may face unique obstacles to access health care services in the U.S.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study estimated levels of health care access among Mexican migrants returning to Mexico from the U.S. and factors associated with access to health care, with emphasis on the role of modifiable, enabling factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a pilot probability health care survey of migrants in the border city of Tijuana, Mexico (N=186).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately 42% of migrants reported having used health care services in the U.S. during the past year. Only 38% had a usual source of care and approximately 11% went without needed medical care in the U.S. About 71% of migrants did not have health insurance in the U.S. Lack of health insurance and transportation limitations were significantly related to various access indicators.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results have implications for future policies and programs aimed to address modifiable health care access barriers faced by these vulnerable and underserved segments of the Mexican migrant population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.
authors.forename: Ana P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Martinez-Donate
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Estudios de Población, El Colegio de la Frontera Norte, Tijuana, Mexico.
authors.forename: M Gudelia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Rangel
authors.affiliation: San Diego State University, San Diego, CA.
authors.forename: Melbourne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hovell
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.
authors.forename: Norma-Jean
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.affiliation: San Diego State University, San Diego, CA.
authors.forename: Catalina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Amuedo-Dorantes
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University of California, Merced, CA.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sipan
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA.
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guendelman
keywords: Andersen model; Mexican migrants; circular migration; health care access; unauthorized migrants