PLoS ONE
Volume 10, Issue 4, 2015

Health-related quality of life of Latin-American immigrants and Spanish-born attended in Spanish Primary Health Care: Socio-demographic and psychosocial factors (Article) (Open Access)

Salinero-Fort M.Á. , Gómez-Campelo P. , Bragado-Alvárez C. , Abánades-Herranz J.C. , Jiménez-García R. , De Burgos-Lunar C.
  • a Gerencia Adjunta de Planificación y Calidad, Atención Primaria, Servicio Madrileño de Salud, Madrid, Spain, Group 27-Aging and Fragility in the Elderly, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain, Red de Investigación en Servicios de Salud en Enfermedades Crónicas (REDISSEC), Madrid, Spain
  • b Group 27-Aging and Fragility in the Elderly, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain, Plataforma de Apoyo al Investigador Novel-PAIN Platform, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain
  • c Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
  • d Group 27-Aging and Fragility in the Elderly, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain, Dir. Tecnica de Docencia e Invest. Gerencia Adjunta de Planificacion y Calidad, Atencion Primaria, Servicio Madrileño de Salud, Madrid, Spain
  • e Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain
  • f Group 27-Aging and Fragility in the Elderly, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research-IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain, Red de Investigación en Servicios de Salud en Enfermedades Crónicas (REDISSEC), Madrid, Spain, Servicio de Medicina Preventiva, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain

Abstract

Background: This study compares the health-related quality of life of Spanish-born and Latin Americanborn individuals settled in Spain. Socio-demographic and psychosocial factors associated with health-related quality of life are analyzed. Methods: A cross-sectional Primary Health Care multi center-based study of Latin American-born (n = 691) and Spanish-born (n = 903) outpatients from 15 Primary Health Care Centers (Madrid, Spain). The Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) was used to assess health-related quality of life. Socio-demographic, psychosocial, and specific migration data were also collected. Results: Compared to Spanish-born participants, Latin American-born participants reported higher health-related quality of life in the physical functioning and vitality dimensions. Across the entire sample, Latin American-born participants, younger participants, men and those with high social support reported significantly higher levels of physical health. Men with higher social support and a higher income reported significantly higher mental health. When stratified by gender, data show that for men physical health was only positively associated with younger age. For women, in addition to age, social support and marital status were significantly related. Both men and women with higher social support and income had significantly better mental health. Finally, for immigrants, the physical and mental health components of health-related quality of life were not found to be significantly associated with any of the pre-migration factors or conditions of migration. Only the variable "exposure to political violence" was significantly associated with the mental health component (p = 0.014). Conclusions The key factors to understanding HRQoL among Latin American-born immigrants settled in Spain are age, sex and social support. Therefore, strategies to maintain optimal health outcomes in these immigrant communities should include public policies on social inclusion in the host society and focus on improving social support networks in order to foster and maintain the health and HRQoL of this group © 2015 Salinero-Fort et al.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

Short Form 36 immigrant South and Central America social psychology Latin America economics demography mental health human Latin American immigration middle aged sex difference statistics and numerical data controlled study health status outpatient care income Humans social support outpatient Cross-Sectional Studies meta analysis quality of life Surveys and Questionnaires marriage cross-sectional study migrant ethnic difference American Spaniard psychology male Emigrants and Immigrants Spain female Socioeconomic Factors socioeconomics questionnaire scoring system Article major clinical study adult age Sex Factors Age Factors outcome assessment ethnicity primary health care health survey
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84926656258&doi=10.1371%2fjournal.pone.0122318&partnerID=40&md5=045530f32b998134a5a12ae0055ecf76
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122318
ISSN: 19326203
Cited by: 4
Original Language: English