# Hardship and Survival: The Impact of Migration-Related Trauma, Communal Coping, and Social Stressors on the Suicide and Mental Health Outcomes of Latina Immigrant Women

> **NIH NIH F31** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $48,974

## Abstract

PROPOSAL SUMMARY
Migration is a social determinant of health which has profound and long-lasting health consequences, and
contributes to the significant disparities in mental health outcomes experienced by Latina immigrants. Shifts in
migration patterns from Latin America over the last decades – driven in part by sociopolitical conflict, organized
violence, and evolving gender norms – have contributed to unprecedented growth in the population of Latinas in
the US. Latina immigrants face cumulative exposure to an array of traumatic experiences before, during, and
after migration – including sexual assault, natural disasters, kidnapping, separation from/and death of family
members, and deprivation of basic needs. These are deeply traumatic experiences which are associated with
poor mental health outcomes (posttraumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety). Presently, suicide is a
leading cause of death among Latinas in the U.S., but there is limited research seeking to identify the distinct
factors that heighten the risk of suicide and that promote resilience among Latina immigrants. Furthermore, there
is a significant gap in knowledge regarding Latina immigrant’s lived experiences with suicide and migration-
related trauma and understanding how these women utilize communal and cultural resources – such as
communal coping, collective rituals, and traditional gatherings – to cope with the collective impact of migration-
related trauma and chronic stress. This exploratory sequential mixed-methods study aims to generate a rich
understanding of the experiences of Latina immigrants with migration-related trauma, suicide and suicidal
ideation, and social stressors, and to identify salient cultural and communal factors that shape these experiences.
This will be accomplished through the following aims: 1a) explore how exposure to migration-related trauma,
communal coping, and social stressors influence the risk of suicidal ideation and mental health symptoms among
adult Latina immigrants (n=20) using individual interviews and focus groups; 1b) understand community
providers’ and team members’ (promotoras, nurses, and clinicians) (n=16-20) perspectives of how migration-
related trauma, communal coping, and social stressors impact the mental health outcomes of Latina immigrants
using focus groups; 2) examine how migration-related trauma, social stressors, communal coping and other
salient cultural, migratory, and communal factors impact suicidal ideation and mental health symptoms among
Latina immigrants using a cross-sectional survey; and 3) collaborate with community partners and the community
advisory board to interpret and integrate findings and identify risk and resilience factors that shape experiences
with suicide and the mental health outcomes of Latina immigrants. This innovative study builds on over a year
of preliminary work, including community engagement efforts, a systematic review of the literature and concept
analysis, and conceptual fram...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10934331
- **Project number:** 5F31MD018931-02
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Laura Rebeca Mata Lopez
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $48,974
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-10-01 → 2026-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10934331

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10934331, Hardship and Survival: The Impact of Migration-Related Trauma, Communal Coping, and Social Stressors on the Suicide and Mental Health Outcomes of Latina Immigrant Women (5F31MD018931-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10934331. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*