Introduction:

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported, in 2018, 244 million migrants worldwide, 3.3% of the world population. Of these, Mexico is the second country of origin, accounting for 13 000 000. The migration phenomenon and health are closely related, due to various risk factors that influence the personal and familial aspects.

Objective:

To identify risk factors related to the health of migrants during the migration process.

Methods:

Cross-sectional, prospective and noncomparative research study carried out from March 2017 to December 2018, in the city of Tijuana, Baja California, at six institutions that support migrants. The instrument had 62 items. The sample consisted of 392 Mexican migrants of both sexes, over 18 years of age, who migrated to and lived in the United States, and returned to Mexico.

Results:

Of the 392 migrants, 96.3% were men and 3.8% were women. The main migration factor was the economic (76.3%). 92% left Mexico healthy, while 31.4% acquired a new addiction, mainly crystal meth[amphetamine] (9.4%) and marijuana (6.6%). 11.2% returned with any chronic disease: 4.1%, with hypertension; 3.1%, with type 2 diabetes mellitus; and 1.8%, with epilepsy.

Conclusions:

The stages of the immigration process of transit and living in the United States were those that generated the greatest health risks; the first, due to accidents and assaults by third parties and the second in association with the uptake of new addictions to illegal substances.

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