Into the Fold, Episode 16: The Trauma of Border Violence

The Hogg Foundation has devoted considerable time and resources to understanding what is commonly referred to as the “social determinants of health” – i.e. the constellation of structural and environmental forces that play a huge role in shaping health outcomes at the individual level. An example, sadly, is the community upheaval caused by chronic violence. In this episode of Into the Fold, Kathleen O’Connor, a professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Texas at El Paso, discusses her research on the traumatizing effects of drug cartel-related violence along the U.S.-Mexico border, and the role that culturally competent mental health professionals have to play in mitigating the suffering.