title: Diabetes among Latinos in the Southwestern United States: border health and binational cooperation.
abstract: This analysis reviews cooperation between the four border states of the United States of America (Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas) and international partners in Mexico with regard to type 2 diabetes among Latinos. Binational cooperation, academic collaboration, preventative health initiatives, and efforts to improve health care access for the border population are highlighted. This meta-analysis of the literature points out causative factors of the increased type 2 diabetes prevalence among Latinos in the United States; an inverse correlation between diabetes and education and socioeconomic level; contributing factors, including barriers with language, health care payment, transportation, and underestimating diabetes implications; and a lack of social and environmental support for disease management. Medical and indirect costs in socioeconomic terms are also included. Cooperation between the United States and Mexico may be beneficial to promoting further collaborative efforts between these nations, and serve as a template for greater cooperative efforts to mitigate the substantial public health and socioeconomic implications of type 2 diabetes globally.
authors.affiliation: Family and Community Medicine Residency Program, Yuma Regional Medical Center, Yuma, Arizona, United States, ryanpcasey@alumni.usc.edu.
authors.forename: Ryan P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Casey
authors.affiliation: American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Cupecoy, St. Maarten.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rouff
authors.affiliation: Family and Community Medicine Residency Program, Yuma Regional Medical Center, Yuma, Arizona, United States, ryanpcasey@alumni.usc.edu.
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jauregui-Covarrubias
mesh_terms: D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003469:Culture; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000191:economics / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004522:Educational Status; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006293:Health Promotion; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D010175:Pan American Health Organization; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015206:Southwestern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States