The Important Role of Binational Studies for Migration and Health Research: A Review of US-Mexico Binational Studies and Design Considerations for Addressing Critical Issues in Migrant Health.

Objective: The impact of migration and health is an important and growing concern worldwide. Recognition that poor health outcomes among migrants are often due to or exacerbated by underlying social determinants (such as employment, living conditions, access to food, and exposure to violence) in the countries of origin, as well as factors related to the acute experiences associated with migration itself, has led to increased awareness that migration itself can be considered a social determinant of health. In North America, in the US-Mexican context in particular, Materials and Methods: We conducted a literature review of published health literature in PubMed between January, 1999 and February, 2015 representing studies including US and Mexico samples and the title word 'binational'. The summary of the included literature focused on articles that describe in sufficient detail methodological approaches to implementing binational designs. Following a synthesis of the literature, we developed typologies of binational study designs to aid in selecting designs for future research among binational populations. Examples of research designs that reflect different approaches to binational health research as well as topics of focus are presented and discussed. Results: Fifty-nine studies representing three types of study designs were identified: 1) binational Conclusion: Binational research between the US and Mexico design contributes to our understanding of migrant health and offers critical insights into the processes affecting health outcomes in the US and Mexico. Future studies of all designs can pay closer attention to the social determinants of health in their approach.