Running head: GLOBAL ISSUES REPORT 1

Global Issues Report:

Colonias

Taylor Toronto

The University of Texas at El Paso

RWS 1301

Dr. Vierra

November 13, 2018

GLOBAL ISSUES REPORT 2

Abstract

This report examines the health issues in extreme poverty areas along the US-Mexico

border called Colonias in order to express the importance of these problems within these

communities. The participants used in support are Semuels and Strickland who both interview

the experts on the living conditions in Colonias and their effects on the residents. Miera also

provides evidence to prove the damaging effects that poor living conditions by surveying the

residents of a Texas Colonia. Furthermore, Dallas Fed goes into depths about the inadequate

housing conditions in these communities in accompany with Tsou who surveys a community

about their living conditions and how they believe it affects their health. Abt expands on the

dangerous diseases found in these communities due to the contaminated water and the lack of

governmental support. Schmidt also provides statistics on the contaminated water issue on both

sides of the border and information on the government’s attempts to fix this problem. Marquez-

Velarde examines the mental health of residents of an El Paso Colonia. Similarly, Ramos

explains the educational programs provided to these areas to share mental health knowledge.

Wallisch and Spence elaborate on the large presence of drugs in these neighborhoods while

Maxwell and Cravioto explore the health risks these drugs impose on these communities. Lastly,

Braine explains the lack of responsibility these residents have in regard to their health. The

findings from these sources allowed to draw the conclusion that the living conditions in these

high poverty communities negatively affects the residents’ health.

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Introduction

“You have families that live in third world conditions in the state of Texas with a modern

city just miles away,” Veronica Escobar, the County Judge of El Paso, tells reporter Alana

Semuels (2016). People living in extreme poverty communities, more specifically in US-Mexico

border communities called Colonias, suffer from life-threatening diseases and other chronic

illnesses that their surrounding communities do not. There are many reasons that attribute to the

health crisis in these areas, such as contaminated drinking water, flooding, inadequate housing,

lack of electricity and several others. There is a direct cause and effect relationship between

living in Colonias and poor health.

Report

People who reside in Colonias have a predisposition for contracting diseases that the rest

of the American population does not. According to Abt (2017), there is an overwhelming

presence of dangerous diseases such tuberculosis, typhoid and dysentery among others in these

communities (p. 3). Diseases that are rare in the rest of the United States are of a common

occurrence in Colonias. Along the same lines, Miera (2008) conducted a study on the people

living in Colonias on the Texas-Mexico border to determine their physical health compared to

the national average. She discovered that the overall physical health of the residents was much

worse compared to the rest of the nation (p. 2). The participants in her study identified with three

or more chronic conditions, and despite the common misconception about poor communities,

other contributing factors such as smoking, and drinking were not apparent in the results (p. 20).

This shows that those living in colonias are surrounded by disease, proving that they are more
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likely to acquire diseases the majority of Americans would not even be exposed to in their

lifetime. Lisa Mitchell-Bennett, a Colonia resident, expresses to journalist, Strickland (2016),

that “there is a high prevalence of chronic disease that keeps you unhealthy for your whole life”

(p. 9). The battle against these diseases never stops for the families finically stuck in these

communities.

The leading factor behind the overwhelming presence of these otherwise uncommon

diseases found in Colonias is due to the use of contaminated water. According to Schmidt

(2000), only 34% of the wastewater in Juarez, Mexico is treated. This means that raw sewage

contaminates the water supply on both sides of the border (See Figure 3). The parasites and

diseases found in the untreated water will cause whoever drinks it to have a high probability of

developing gastrointestinal disease, which is now the leading cause of infant death along the

border (p. 2). However, the residents of these high poverty communities have no other choice

than to drink the disease riddled water. In addition to lack of access to clean water, Abt (2017)

sheds light on the fact that flood rates in Colonias are extremely high (See Figure 2). When it

floods, the raw sewage is carried throughout the community, making it nearly impossible to

prevent coming in contact with the raw sewage and its dangerous diseases it carries (p. 3). This

shows that these communities lack the basic living necessity, clean water, which is confirmed to

cause adverse health effects.

The poor housing structures inhabited by Colonia residents further lead to health issues.

According to the Dallas Fed (2015), the homes of the vast majority of colonias inhabitants build

their own homes. They use tarps, wood scraps, cardboard and any other material they can get

their hands on (See Figure 1) to build their homes. Very few residents can afford to hire a

professional builder, meaning most of the population lives in homes that are not up to code. In
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Cameron Park Colonia, the county determined that it would cost $20 million to get all of the

homes in the community up to code (p. 12). Living in these homes can cause a decline in its

occupants’ health. Most homes have dirt floors which lead to infestation of bugs and other

critters. Furthermore, there is no heat or AC units in these homes, making it that much easier to

get sick. Correspondingly, Tsou (2018) evaluated the housing conditions in Hidalgo County by

surveying residents of a Colonia. 97% of the residents reported that they have bug infestations

and 50% have mold. In terms of current health situations, 82.5% stated that there is at least one

chronic disease in their household and 36.5% reported three or greater chronic diseases. Overall,

92.9% felt that if they had better housing conditions, them and their family’s health would

greatly improve (p. 1). This demonstrates the detrimental effects poor housing has on its

inhabitants; further upholding the argument that where one lives, not just their community but

their home itself, has a hefty effect on a person’s health.

Mental illnesses are more prevalent in Colonias than in their surrounding neighborhoods.

According to Marquez-Velarde (2015), upwards of one third of the residents of Westway, an El

Paso Colonia, have been diagnosed with a mental disorder or illness (p. 2). Factors that

contribute to the development of mental disorders are poor living environments and stressful life

events. Those living in a bad environment, whether it is dangerous or poor conditions, have a

higher chance of developing a mental disorder. Stressful life events and being under constant

stress, which colonias residents are prone to, can also facilitate the development of a mental

illness (p. 5). Combining these factors with little to no health insurance makes it even more

difficult for Colonias inhabitants to receive adequate treatment for their mental disorders.

Similarly, Ramos (2008) elaborates on the introduction of education programs in the Cameron

Park Colonia. It is called the ‘train the trainer’ program where people who live outside of the
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Colonia share their knowledge about environmental health and educational programs (p. 7). In

hopes that with the information shared, they will be able to prevent the development of mental

disorders and other diseases. This illustrates the characteristics of Colonias which parallel the

factors that lead to mental disorders, proving that Colonia residents are prone to developing a

mental disorder.

Governmental neglect causes people living in Colonias to face greater challenges in

regard to their health. According to Abt (2017), governmental efforts to improve colonias only

occur when there is hard evidence that the living conditions are what caused the adverse health

effects. He elaborates on the presence of harmful chemicals in the water supply in Colonias. The

residents of Cyndie Park II, a Colonia located in Texas, experienced an outbreak of cancer in

their community directly due to the contaminated drinking water. The drinking well, where the

occupants would get their water, contained arsenic. The county was aware of this and failed to

inform the people and provide an adequate water supply. After enough people were diagnosed

with cancer, the government provided them with city water pipes, but it was already too late for

most residents (pp. 3-4). The government will only step in to help these communities when the

fault can be directly traced back to them. Consequently, Schmidt (2000) elaborates on

governmental attempts on decontaminating the drinking water shared between Mexico and the

United States. In total, both the United States and Mexico have spent $3.1 billion since 1994 to

treat the water. In order to fully obtain a clean water supply and a solid waste disposal would

cost an additional $3.2 billion (p. 6). This provides evidence of the government’s

acknowledgement of the inadequate water supply in colonias, verifying that the government did

in fact, fail to provide access to safe water. Furthermore, the government has also lacked to

provide these communities with paved roads and drainage systems to help the flooding. Yolanda,
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a Colonia resident, expresses the frustrations of her community to a journalist, Patrick Strickland

(2016). “We feel that because we pay these taxes, we have a right to ask for infrastructure like

drains” (p. 11). This verifies that the government ignores the needs of these communities without

just cause.

The presence of drugs and alcohol in Colonias has detrimental effects on its occupant’s

overall wellbeing. According to Wallisch and Spence (2006), survey responses from colonias

residents highlight the negative affect that the high availability of drugs have on their

community. 82% of the participants agreed that the presence of drug trafficking in their area is

quite high. 47% said that there would be no difficulty in getting cocaine or heroin if they so

wished. Most importantly however, 18% said that they have seen ampule evidence that children

14 and younger had been using drugs or alcohol (p. 296). The avoidance of drugs in these

communities has become nearly impossible. It seems as though these drugs have become a

permanent part of these neighborhoods. Accordingly, Maxwell and Cravioto (2005) discuss the

major health risks of drugs in these communities. In combination with unsafe sex, the higher use

of crack and heroin has resulted in a large increase in HIV/AIDS cases along the border (p. 91).

This exemplifies that the those who consume drugs are at fault for the health effects they cause;

however, it supports the idea that these drugs have become a part of their environment.

The actions of residents in low-income communities, in both Mexico and the United

States, play a large factor in the overall health of their community. According to Braine (2006),

the lack of health education is not the sole reason that illnesses and diseases dominate these low-

income communities, rather the people themselves are the perpetrators. Braine interviews Dr.

Romero about her health lectures to the isolated villages in Mexico. The residents in Huimilpan,

a poor village several hours away from Mexico City, partake in the Oportunidades programme
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that targets the poorest people to improve their quality of life. 25 million people, which is

equivalent to ¼ of Mexico’s population, are recipients of this program. Dr. Romero gives

speeches to the men and women in Huimilpan about the health information that is usually taught

in school, however this information is new for many of these people since very few of them have

attended school. Dr. Romero explains that these people have a tendency to not take responsibility

for their own health (p. 2). This led her to strike a deal with the expecting mothers that if they

attended her monthly lectures, they will receive pro bono baby delivery. In addition, these

women must go to five antenatal consultations, receive all vaccinations and two dental visits

during their pregnancy (p. 3). No matter how many opportunities and services are provided to

these people, it is ultimately up to them to take accountability for their health. Those living in

Colonias along the America-Mexico border are notorious for their poor health. Many students

who attend the University of Texas at El Paso live in these communities and need medical care.

The University of Texas at El Paso provides a health center that is accessible to all students.

According to the Student Health and Wellness Center (2018), their goal is to provide students

with adequate health care (p. 1). Their services include general, nutrition, pharmacy,

women’s/men’s health and a wellness program. This allows students living in these high poverty

areas to receive the medical care they need so they can be more successful in their studies.

Conclusion

Residing in Colonias is proven to be linked to overall poor health; leading to the notion

that if nothing changes in these communities, the residents will continue to face medical

challenges they are not equipped to deal with. These governmental neglected communities are

left to live in substandard living arrangements where they lack the basic necessities for good

health. Amongst other reasons, the diseases found in the only drinking water available are
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extremely detrimental to one’s health, leaving everyone in these communities susceptible to

contracting life-threatening diseases. Until these communities receive the access to clean water

and more suitable living conditions, these people will continue to live with the cure for their

illnesses lightly out of hands reach.

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References

Abt, P. (September 22, 2017). There’s a third-world America that no one notices. In The

Washington post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/theres-a-

third-world-america-that-no-one-notices/2017/11/21/640c4c1a-c499-11e7-aae0-

cb18a8c29c65_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.5f2c33c7861a

Braine, T. (2006). Reaching Mexico’s poorest. Retrieved from

https://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/84/8/news10806/en/

Dallas Fed. (2015). Texas colonias: A thumbnail sketch of the conditions, issues, challenges and

opportunities. Retrieved from

https://www.dallasfed.org/~/media/documents/cd/pubs/colonias.pdf

Marquez-Velarde, G. (12 March 2015). Mental health disparities among low-income US

Hispanic residents of a US-Mexico border Colonia. In Journal of racial and ethnic

disparities. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs40615-015-

0091-1#citeas

Maxwell, J. & Cravioto, P. (2005). Drug use and risk of HIV/AIDS on the Mexico-USA border:

A comparison of treatment admissions in both countries. Retrieved from https://ac.els-

cdn.com/S0376871606800141/1-s2.0-S0376871606800141-main.pdf?_tid=8f3fe337-

c28b-417b-8af5-

421e720a0a46&acdnat=1541525408_fcf2542ce5762a7eab0ff0572527957a

Miera, N. (2008). Health related quality of life among Mexican Americans living in colonias at

the Texas-Mexico border. In Social Science and Medicine. Retrieved from

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027795360700665X
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Ramos, I. (2008). Immigrant minority health. Retrieved from

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10903-007-9087-1

Schmidt, CW. (2000). Boarding on environmental disaster. In Environmental health

perspectives. Retrieved from http://0

search.ebscohost.com.lib.utep.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edswsc&AN=0000885297

00019&site=eds-live&scope=site

Semuels, A. (2016). The American neighborhoods without water, sewers or building codes.

Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/03/the-americans-

without-running-water/471909/

Strickland, P. (2016). Living on the edges: Life in the colonias of Texas. Retrieved from

https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2016/11/living-edges-life-colonias-texas-

161103082854630.html

Student Health and Wellness Center (2018). Student health and wellness center: College of

health sciences. Retrieved from https://www.utep.edu/chs/shc/

Tsou, P. (2018). Assessing health status and housing quality of families living in model

subdivisions (colonias) of the Rio Grande Valley. Retrieved from

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/142/1_MeetingAbstract/514

Wallisch, L. & Spence, R. (May 1, 2006). Alcohol and drug use, abuse, and dependence in urban

areas and colonias of the Texas-Mexico border. In the Hispanic journal of behavioral

science. Retrieved from http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0739986305286137

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Figures

Figure 1. Shelter built by its residents using with wood scraps for walls and tarps for the roof.

Copyright Kinder Institute 2015.

Figure 2. Severe flooding in a Texas Colonia. Copyright Territorio de Coahuila y Texas 2018.
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Figure 3. Contaminated drinking water from an El Paso Colonia community. Copyright Wendy

Jepson 2013.