Mental health care access among Latinx and Indigenous Mexican immigrants in rural desert communities in the COVID-19 pandemic: a community-engaged study.

Noah Baltrushes, James Elkins, Stephanie Martinez, Ann Marie Cheney

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Noah BaltrushesDepartment of Social Medicine, Population and Public Health, University of California Riverside School of Medicine, SOM Bldg 1, SMPPH, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA.

James ElkinsDepartment of Social Medicine, Population and Public Health, University of California Riverside School of Medicine, SOM Bldg 1, SMPPH, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA.

Stephanie MartinezDepartment of Social Medicine, Population and Public Health, University of California Riverside School of Medicine, SOM Bldg 1, SMPPH, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA.

Ann Marie CheneyDepartment of Social Medicine, Population and Public Health, University of California Riverside School of Medicine, SOM Bldg 1, SMPPH, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA. ann.cheney@medsch.ucr.edu.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundStructural and social inequities greatly impacted the mental and physical health of Latinx and Indigenous Mexican populations Hispanic/Latino immigrants in rural communities in the COVID-19 pandemic. These populations experienced disproportionate infection and mortality rates, exacerbated by existing structural and social inequities, creating unique stressors that negatively impacted community members' mental health. Limited financial resources, lack of healthcare infrastructure, fear of deportation, and stigma shaped decisions to access mental healthcare services. The historical economic instability, social isolation, and limited healthcare access experienced by this group set the stage for the challenges they faced throughout the pandemic.

methodsBetween September 2022 and June 2024, qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 participants, focusing on their mental health experiences during the pandemic. The socioecological model was used as a conceptual framework to contextualize findings with multiple spheres of influence.

resultsAt the macro level, structural inequities such as precarious labor, exclusionary immigration policies, and underinvestment in rural regions, set the stage for pandemic-related stressors such as isolation, loss, and misinformation. At the individual level, fear of deportation and stigma surrounding mental health discouraged help-seeking behaviors. These intersecting influences underscore the socioecological determinants that shaped mental health care access among rural Latinx and Indigenous Mexican communities.

conclusionsStructural interventions are needed to reduce inequities, rebuild trust, and improve access to mental healthcare services in underserved, rural populations.

Indexed as

COVID-19Emigrants and ImmigrantsHealth Services AccessibilityHispanic or LatinoIndians, North AmericanMental Health ServicesRural PopulationAdultCommunity-Based Participatory ResearchFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMexicoMiddle AgedPandemicsBarriers to healthcare accessCommunity-based participatory researchCOVID-19 pandemicIndigenous MexicansLatinx immigrant healthMental health

Identifiers

PMID42083009

DOI10.1186/s12889-026-27551-6

PMCPMC13285207

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LicenceCC BY

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.