Adult first-generation immigrants and cardiovascular risk factors in the Veneto Region, Northeast Italy
IntroductionThe health condition of immigrants traditionally follows a transition from a low disease occurrence to the epidemiological profile of the deprived groups in the host country. In the Europe, studies examining differences in biochemical and clinical outcomes among immigrants and natives ar...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.956146/full |
| _version_ | 1797924521636790272 |
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| author | Teresa Dalla Zuanna Erich Batzella Gisella Pitter Francesca Russo Teresa Spadea Cristina Canova |
| author_facet | Teresa Dalla Zuanna Erich Batzella Gisella Pitter Francesca Russo Teresa Spadea Cristina Canova |
| author_sort | Teresa Dalla Zuanna |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionThe health condition of immigrants traditionally follows a transition from a low disease occurrence to the epidemiological profile of the deprived groups in the host country. In the Europe, studies examining differences in biochemical and clinical outcomes among immigrants and natives are lacking. We examined differences in cardiovascular risk factors between first-generation immigrants and Italians, and how migration pattern variables could affect health outcomes.Material and methodsWe included participants between 20 and 69 years recruited from a Health Surveillance Program of the Veneto Region. Blood pressure (BP), total cholesterol (TC) and LDL cholesterol levels were measured. Immigrant status was defined by being born in a high migratory pressure country (HMPC) and subdivided by geographical macro-areas. We used generalized linear regression models to investigate differences between these outcomes among immigrants compared to native-born, adjusting for age, sex, education, BMI, alcohol consumption, smoking status, food consumption, salt consumption in the BP analysis and the laboratory in charge for cholesterol analysis. Within immigrant subjects, the results were stratified by variables of the migration pattern: age at immigration and length of residence in Italy.ResultsThirty seven thousand three hundred and eighty subjects were included in the analysis, 8.6% were born in an HMPC. Heterogeneous results were seen by the macro-areas of origin and sex, with male immigrants from CE Europe (β = 8.77 mg/dl) and Asia (β = 6.56 mg/dl) showing higher levels of TC than native-born, while female immigrants from Northern Africa showed lower levels of TC (β = −8.64 mg/dl). BP levels were generally lower among immigrants. Immigrants residing in Italy for more than 20 years had lower levels of TC (β = −2.9 mg/dl) than native-born. In contrast, immigrants who arrived <20 years ago or arrived older than 18 years had higher levels of TC. This trend was confirmed for CE Europeans and was inverted for Northern Africans.ConclusionsThe large heterogeneity in the results depending on sex and macro-area of origin indicates the need for targeted intervention in each specific immigrant group. The results confirm that acculturation leads to a convergence toward the epidemiological profile of the host population that depends on the starting condition of the immigrant group. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T15:02:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a224f3d151074f3da2ef3d764f085fed |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T15:02:15Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
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| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-a224f3d151074f3da2ef3d764f085fed2023-02-15T10:36:15ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652023-02-011110.3389/fpubh.2023.956146956146Adult first-generation immigrants and cardiovascular risk factors in the Veneto Region, Northeast ItalyTeresa Dalla Zuanna0Erich Batzella1Gisella Pitter2Francesca Russo3Teresa Spadea4Cristina Canova5Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padova, ItalyUnit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padova, ItalyScreening and Health Impact Assessment Unit, Azienda Zero, Padova, ItalyDirectorate of Prevention, Food Safety, and Veterinary Public Health-Veneto Region, Venice, ItalyEpidemiology Unit ASL TO3, Turin, ItalyUnit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padova, ItalyIntroductionThe health condition of immigrants traditionally follows a transition from a low disease occurrence to the epidemiological profile of the deprived groups in the host country. In the Europe, studies examining differences in biochemical and clinical outcomes among immigrants and natives are lacking. We examined differences in cardiovascular risk factors between first-generation immigrants and Italians, and how migration pattern variables could affect health outcomes.Material and methodsWe included participants between 20 and 69 years recruited from a Health Surveillance Program of the Veneto Region. Blood pressure (BP), total cholesterol (TC) and LDL cholesterol levels were measured. Immigrant status was defined by being born in a high migratory pressure country (HMPC) and subdivided by geographical macro-areas. We used generalized linear regression models to investigate differences between these outcomes among immigrants compared to native-born, adjusting for age, sex, education, BMI, alcohol consumption, smoking status, food consumption, salt consumption in the BP analysis and the laboratory in charge for cholesterol analysis. Within immigrant subjects, the results were stratified by variables of the migration pattern: age at immigration and length of residence in Italy.ResultsThirty seven thousand three hundred and eighty subjects were included in the analysis, 8.6% were born in an HMPC. Heterogeneous results were seen by the macro-areas of origin and sex, with male immigrants from CE Europe (β = 8.77 mg/dl) and Asia (β = 6.56 mg/dl) showing higher levels of TC than native-born, while female immigrants from Northern Africa showed lower levels of TC (β = −8.64 mg/dl). BP levels were generally lower among immigrants. Immigrants residing in Italy for more than 20 years had lower levels of TC (β = −2.9 mg/dl) than native-born. In contrast, immigrants who arrived <20 years ago or arrived older than 18 years had higher levels of TC. This trend was confirmed for CE Europeans and was inverted for Northern Africans.ConclusionsThe large heterogeneity in the results depending on sex and macro-area of origin indicates the need for targeted intervention in each specific immigrant group. The results confirm that acculturation leads to a convergence toward the epidemiological profile of the host population that depends on the starting condition of the immigrant group.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.956146/fullimmigrantscardiovascular risk (CV risk)cholesterolblood pressurehypertensionacculturation |
| spellingShingle | Teresa Dalla Zuanna Erich Batzella Gisella Pitter Francesca Russo Teresa Spadea Cristina Canova Adult first-generation immigrants and cardiovascular risk factors in the Veneto Region, Northeast Italy Frontiers in Public Health immigrants cardiovascular risk (CV risk) cholesterol blood pressure hypertension acculturation |
| title | Adult first-generation immigrants and cardiovascular risk factors in the Veneto Region, Northeast Italy |
| title_full | Adult first-generation immigrants and cardiovascular risk factors in the Veneto Region, Northeast Italy |
| title_fullStr | Adult first-generation immigrants and cardiovascular risk factors in the Veneto Region, Northeast Italy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Adult first-generation immigrants and cardiovascular risk factors in the Veneto Region, Northeast Italy |
| title_short | Adult first-generation immigrants and cardiovascular risk factors in the Veneto Region, Northeast Italy |
| title_sort | adult first generation immigrants and cardiovascular risk factors in the veneto region northeast italy |
| topic | immigrants cardiovascular risk (CV risk) cholesterol blood pressure hypertension acculturation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.956146/full |
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