Social Determinants of Immigrants’ Health in New York City: A Study of Six Neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens
June 06, 2022 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM (ET)

On Monday, June 6th, CMS hosted a webinar and discussion of the forthcoming CMS report, Social Determinants of Immigrants’ Health in New York City: A Study of Six Neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens by Jacquelyn Pavilon and Vicky Virgin.
The report is based on CMS research that examined the social determinants of immigrants’ health in six neighborhoods in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens in New York City. For this report, the CMS research team conducted a survey of 495 immigrants across these six neighborhoods and convened one focus group to collect data on immigrants’ health and well-being. CMS also surveyed 24 service providers including community health clinics, health-focused community-based organizations, and hospitals that work with immigrants in the studied neighborhoods. Analysis of these data, the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s NYC Community Health Survey provided insight into the factors that affect immigrants’ health and well-being across these neighborhoods. This study highlights several social determinants of health that likely contribute to the native-immigrant health gap. The study also describes steps that can be taken to close this gap.
Some of the topline findings of the report were that 37 percent of immigrant respondents said they needed to access healthcare in the last 12 months but did not receive it; cost was one of the top deterrents for immigrants in seeking medical care; nearly a quarter of immigrants across the six neighborhoods reported being food insecure; and discrimination on the basis of race in seeking health care was the form of discrimination most reported by immigrants, followed by discrimination based on nationality/citizenship.
CMS Publications and Events Manager, Melissa Katsoris moderated the discussion. The report’s co-authors, Jacquelyn Pavilon and Vicky Virgin, shared key findings and policy recommendations.
The webinar also included guest remarks from the following experts:
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Sally Findley, Emeritus Professor of Population and Family Health of the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University Medical Center
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Rishi Sood, Executive Director of Health Care Access & Policy at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
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Becca Telzak, Deputy Director of Make the Road New York