Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 17, Issue 1, 2015, Pages 66-75

Frequency of Infectious Diseases in Immigrants in a Western European Country: A Population-Based Study (Article)

Limina R.M.* , Baitelli G. , Marcantoni C. , Covolo L. , Festa A. , Speziani F. , Vassallo F. , Scarcella C. , Donato F.
  • a Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, Brescia, 25123, Italy
  • b Local Health Authority of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
  • c Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, Post-graduate School of Public Health, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
  • d Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, Brescia, 25123, Italy
  • e Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, Brescia, 25123, Italy
  • f Local Health Authority of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
  • g Local Health Authority of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
  • h Local Health Authority of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
  • i Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, Brescia, 25123, Italy

Abstract

The aim of this population-based study was to assess the incidence rates of infectious diseases in native- (Italian) and foreign-born (immigrants) populations in a North Italy area, in 2006–2010. Crude, age-specific incidence rates (IRs) and age-standardised rate ratios (SRRs) between foreign- and native-born subjects and their 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI) were estimated. A total of 32,554 cases of infectious diseases were found (9.9 % in foreign-born subjects). The highest SRRs between foreign- and nativeborn subjects were found for tuberculosis (SRR = 27.1; 95 % CI 21.3–34.3), malaria (SRR = 21.1; 14.6–30.4), scabies (SRR = 8.5; 7.6–9.4), AIDS (SRR = 2.5; 1.8–3.4) and viral hepatitis B (SRR = 3.3; 2.1–5.2). The highest IR was found for AIDS in people from the Americas (IR = 4.57; 95 % CI 2.2–8.4), for malaria and tuberculosis in people from Africa (IR = 13.89; 11.6–16.5 and IR = 11.87; 9.8–14.3 respectively). Therefore immigrants are at a higher risk of acquiring some common infectious diseases compared to the native population in Western European countries. © 2013, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

immigrants Native- and foreign-born people Population-based study Infectious diseases Epidemiology

Index Keywords

statistics and numerical data male Emigrants and Immigrants female Italy Humans Communicable Diseases ethnology Incidence human adult migrant middle aged
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84958059498&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-013-9888-3&partnerID=40&md5=9c3c887edd38b738c6d51e00b0b926e7
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-013-9888-3
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 3
Original Language: English