Scientific Reports
Volume 5, 2015

Influence of immigration on prematurity in the context of a free healthcare system with universal coverage (Article) (Open Access)

Cortés E. , Mercedes Rizo-Baeza M. , Palazón-Bru A.* , Aguilar-Cordero M.J. , Francisco Gil-Guillén V.
  • a Department of Pharmacology, Paediatrics and Organic Chemistry, Miguel Hernández University, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
  • b Department of Nursing, University of Alicante, San Vicente del Raspeig, Spain
  • c Department of Clinical Medicine, Miguel Hernández University, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
  • d Department of Nursing, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
  • e Department of Clinical Medicine, Miguel Hernández University, San Juan de Alicante, Spain

Abstract

We assessed the risk of preterm birth according to the mother's place of origin in the context of a free and universal healthcare system. We analysed 75,292 newborn infants born between 2008-2011 in Alicante (Spain). The outcomes were: 1) very preterm (gestational age 32 weeks) and 2) moderate-to-late preterm (gestational age 33-37 weeks). Other variables: infant's gender, maternal age and origin. We estimated adjusted odds ratios to analyse the relationship between the outcomes and the other variables. The distribution of the gestational age groups in our sample was: very preterm, 812; moderate-to-late preterm, 5,295; full-term, 69,997. There were no statistically significant differences between the mother's place of origin and the outcomes in this free universal healthcare system, which is experiencing the recent phenomenon of immigration. This equality should be maintained throughout the time the immigrants remain in the country.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

insurance human Odds Ratio Premature Birth statistics and numerical data Infant, Premature Humans Infant, Newborn male female newborn Mothers adult mother migration prematurity Emigration and Immigration Case-Control Studies Delivery of Health Care case control study Universal Coverage gestational age health care delivery
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84930226516&doi=10.1038%2fsrep10586&partnerID=40&md5=99c40754186a0374bdde61b2f3384234
DOI: 10.1038/srep10586
ISSN: 20452322
Cited by: 1
Original Language: English