Esperanza Diaz1,2, Bernadette N Kumar2,3, Luis-Andrés Gimeno-Feliu4,5,6, Amaia Calderón-Larrañaga4,7, Beatriz Poblador-Pou4,7, Alexandra Prados-Torres4,5,7. 1. Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. 2. Norwegian Centre for Minority Health Research, Oslo, Norway. 3. Institute for Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. 4. EpiChron Research Group on Chronic Diseases, Aragón Health Sciences Institute (IACS), IIS Aragón, Miguel Servet University Hospital, Zaragoza, Spain. 5. University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain. 6. San Pablo Health Centre, Zaragoza, Spain. 7. Red de Investigación en Servicios de Salud en Enfermedades Crónicas, Carlos III Health Institute, Madrid, Spain.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: International migration is rapidly increasing worldwide. However, the health status of migrants differs across groups. Information regarding health at arrival and subsequent periodic follow-up in the host country is necessary to develop equitable health care to immigrants. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of the length of stay in Norway and other sociodemographic variables on the prevalence of multimorbidity across immigrant groups (refugees, labour immigrants, family reunification immigrants and education immigrants). METHODS: This is a register-based study merging data from the National Population Register and the Norwegian Health Economics Administration database. Sociodemographic variables and multimorbidity across the immigrant groups were compared using Persons' chi-square test and anova as appropriate. Several binary logistic regression models were conducted. RESULTS: Multimorbidity was significantly lower among labour immigrants (OR (95% CI) 0.23 (0.21-0.26) and 0.45 (0.40-0.50) for men and women, respectively) and education immigrants (OR (95% CI) 0.40 (0.32-0.50) and 0.38 (0.33-0.43)) and higher among refugees (OR (95% CI) 1.67 (1.57-1.78) and 1.83 (1.75-1.92)), compared to family reunification immigrants. For all groups, multimorbidity doubled after a five-year stay in Norway. Effect modifications between multimorbidity and sociodemographic characteristics across the different reasons for migration were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Multimorbidity was highest among refugees at arrival but increased rapidly among labour immigrants, especially females. Health providers need to ensure tailor-made preventive and management strategies that take into account pre-migration and post-migration experiences for immigrants in order to address their needs.
OBJECTIVES: International migration is rapidly increasing worldwide. However, the health status of migrants differs across groups. Information regarding health at arrival and subsequent periodic follow-up in the host country is necessary to develop equitable health care to immigrants. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of the length of stay in Norway and other sociodemographic variables on the prevalence of multimorbidity across immigrant groups (refugees, labour immigrants, family reunification immigrants and education immigrants). METHODS: This is a register-based study merging data from the National Population Register and the Norwegian Health Economics Administration database. Sociodemographic variables and multimorbidity across the immigrant groups were compared using Persons' chi-square test and anova as appropriate. Several binary logistic regression models were conducted. RESULTS: Multimorbidity was significantly lower among labour immigrants (OR (95% CI) 0.23 (0.21-0.26) and 0.45 (0.40-0.50) for men and women, respectively) and education immigrants (OR (95% CI) 0.40 (0.32-0.50) and 0.38 (0.33-0.43)) and higher among refugees (OR (95% CI) 1.67 (1.57-1.78) and 1.83 (1.75-1.92)), compared to family reunification immigrants. For all groups, multimorbidity doubled after a five-year stay in Norway. Effect modifications between multimorbidity and sociodemographic characteristics across the different reasons for migration were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Multimorbidity was highest among refugees at arrival but increased rapidly among labour immigrants, especially females. Health providers need to ensure tailor-made preventive and management strategies that take into account pre-migration and post-migration experiences for immigrants in order to address their needs.
Authors: Natalia Golub; Christopher Seplaki; Douglas Stockman; Kelly Thevenet-Morrison; Diana Fernandez; Susan Fisher Journal: J Immigr Minor Health Date: 2018-04
Authors: Luis A Gimeno-Feliu; Amaia Calderón-Larrañaga; Esperanza Diaz; Beatriz Poblador-Plou; Rosa Macipe-Costa; Alexandra Prados-Torres Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2016-05-27 Impact factor: 3.295