MON-818 Massive Immigration And Its Impact In Women's Care

Abstract Disclosure: P.I. Godspower: None. S. Verma: None. F. Shifaly: None. L. Yousif: None. C. Dos Santos: None. C. Dominguez-Bali: None. A. Dominguez-Bali: None. Over the past four years, more than 12 million immigrants—legal and undocumented—have arrived in the U.S., with many settling in South Florida. Latin Americans account for over 60% of these new arrivals. More than 90% come from countries with limited or non-existent healthcare systems, and over 75% are from low socio-economic and educational backgrounds. These factors pose serious challenges to women’s healthcare, particularly in underserved areas like Miami. This study analyzed clinical data over four years from two hospitals and two outpatient centers in South Florida, focusing on immigrant women presenting with newly diagnosed or advanced-stage diseases. Findings revealed a resurgence of diseases rarely seen in the U.S., including tuberculosis, scabies, amoebiasis, and giardiasis, polyparasitism, helminthiasis, uncinariasis, increase in lice infections. Advanced cases of breast, cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers—as well as large uterine fibroids—were also observed, often linked to over a decade of missed preventive care. Sexual health outcomes are also worsening. Rates of sexually transmitted infections (including HIV, higher in the Latin-American population and lower in American population) intended pregnancies, ectopic pregnancies, and abortions are rising among the Latino population, contrary to national trends. Many patients reported histories of trauma, unstable relationships, sexual dysfunction, and in some cases, genital mutilation or trafficking. Most had not received routine screenings like Pap smears or mammograms in 10 to 15 years. These trends reflect a broader phenomenon referred to as “immigration syndrome,” characterized by compounded physical, emotional, psychological, economical, sexual, social and cultural stressors, and legal persecution This study highlights the urgent need for trauma-informed, culturally sensitive healthcare services and improved access to screenings for immigrant women—both to support their wellbeing and protect public health in host communities. Presentation: Monday, July 14, 2025