Factors Associated with Thoughts of Migration Among Latinx Mental Health Professionals from Puerto Rico to Mainland United States

Highly skilled professionals in low-income countries often migrate to other countries to seek improvements in their living conditions, incomes, and quality of life. This rapidly growing phenomenon, also known as the “brain drain,” refers to the migration of workers to countries with more opportunities. This study examines various “push” and “pull” factors for the growing migration of Puerto Rican healthcare professionals to the mainland United States. Using a quantitative and cross-sectional approach, we collected data on mental health professionals’ socioeconomic and work-related needs. We conducted a binary logistic regression to identify whether socioeconomic (i.e., age, marital status, gender, highest level of education, and income satisfaction) and work-related factors (i.e., perceived organizational support and emotional exhaustion related to the workplace) contributed to having thoughts of migration to the United States in the year prior completing the survey. Almost half of the participants (48.9%) reported having thoughts of migration. Factors associated with migration thoughts included younger age, dissatisfaction with current income, emotional exhaustion in the workplace, and lower perceived organizational support. The migration of healthcare workers is a major aspect of globalization, shaping the circumstances in which some countries gain and others lose opportunities for social and economic development. Recommendations to retain this highly needed group of professionals in their places of origin and support them in their potential migration to the U.S. mainland are highlighted.