Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
2019

Mortality Paradox of Older Italian-Born Men in Australia: The Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project (Article)

Stanaway F.F.* , Blyth F.M. , Naganathan V. , Le Couteur D.G. , Ribeiro R. , Hirani V. , Waite L.M. , Handelsman D.J. , Seibel M.J. , Cumming R.G.
  • a Sydney School of Public Health, Sydney University, Edward Ford Building, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
  • b Concord Clinical School, Concord Hospital, Concord, NSW 2139, Australia
  • c Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, The Ageing and Alzheimers Institute, Concord Hospital and Sydney University, Concord, NSW 2139, Australia
  • d Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, The Ageing and Alzheimers Institute, Concord Hospital and Sydney University, Concord, NSW 2139, Australia
  • e Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, The Ageing and Alzheimers Institute, Concord Hospital and Sydney University, Concord, NSW 2139, Australia, School of Life and Environmental Science, Charles Perkins Centre, Sydney University, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
  • f School of Life and Environmental Science, Charles Perkins Centre, Sydney University, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
  • g Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, The Ageing and Alzheimers Institute, Concord Hospital and Sydney University, Concord, NSW 2139, Australia
  • h ANZAC Research Institute, Concord Hospital, Sydney University, Concord, NSW 2139, Australia
  • i School of Life and Environmental Science, Charles Perkins Centre, Sydney University, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
  • j Sydney School of Public Health, Sydney University, Edward Ford Building, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia, Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, The Ageing and Alzheimers Institute, Concord Hospital and Sydney University, Concord, NSW 2139, Australia

Abstract

Italian migrants are one of the largest groups of older migrants in Australia. Past research has found lower mortality rates in Italian migrants but it is unclear if this persists into older age. Data came from 334 Italian-born and 849 Australian-born men aged 70 years and over participating in a longitudinal study of men’s ageing. Male Italian migrants were more likely to smoke, be overweight, and have lower socio-economic status (SES). They also had higher morbidity from diabetes, chronic pain, dementia and depressive symptoms but lower morbidity from heart disease and cancer. There was no age-adjusted mortality difference. However, adjusting for SES, lifestyle and morbidity differences revealed a 25% lower mortality rate (adjusted HR = 0.75; 95% CI 0.57, 0.98) in Italian-born men. Compared to their Australian-born counterparts, older Italian-born men have a lower mortality than expected considering their lower SES, higher smoking and higher morbidity. © 2019, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Author Keywords

Cohort Older men Italian migrant Mortality

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85062800916&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-019-00874-w&partnerID=40&md5=73927404f19a5b4362e05b0096e2bde2
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-019-00874-w
ISSN: 15571912
Original Language: English