Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
Volume 6, Issue 4, 2016, Pages 295-302

Hospital admissions among immigrants from low-income and foreign citizens from high-income countries in Spain in 2000–2012 (Article) (Open Access)

Ramos J.M.* , Pinargote H. , Navarrete-Muñoz E.M. , Salinas A. , Sastre J.
  • a Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, Alicante, Spain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Alicante, Spain
  • b Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
  • c Department of Public Health, Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Alicante, Spain, CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
  • d Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital de Denia, Alicante, Spain
  • e Department of Admission and Documentation, Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, Alicante, Spain

Abstract

Over the last decade, the number of foreign nationals in Spain has increased. Our aim was to report the trends in hospital admissions, differentiating between foreign nationals from high-income countries (HICs) and from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in a public hospital. A retrospective analysis of hospital admissions in patients aged ⩾15 years between 2000 and 2012 was performed by means of hospital information systems at a public hospital in the city of Alicante, Spain. During the period of the study, 387,862 patients were admitted: 32,020 (8.3%) were foreign, 22,446 (5.8%) were from LMICs, and 9574 (2.5%) were from HICs. The number of foreign nationals, foreign nationals from LMICs, and foreign nationals from HICs admitted increased from 1019, 530, and 489 in 2000 to 2925, 2097, and 828, respectively in 2012. A total of 27.5% of patients were admitted for pregnancy, childbirth, and puerperium, especially foreign nationals from LMICs (34.3%), and 14.1% of foreign nationals were admitted for cardiovascular diseases (14.1%), which were more common in those from HICs (26.3%). The number of admissions among foreign nationals from LMICs increased significantly in all the diagnoses, but in pregnancy, childbirth, and puerperium, the increase was higher. In conclusion, nearly one out of 10 adult patients admitted to our hospital was foreign, mainly from LMICs, and the main reason for admission was diagnoses related to pregnancy, childbirth, and puerperium. © 2016 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia

Author Keywords

Foreigners Low-income countries Public hospital High-income countries

Index Keywords

hospital admission immigrant hospitalization developing country poverty Developing Countries human trend study middle income country statistics and numerical data controlled study Developed Countries high income country Humans migrant cardiovascular disease Adolescent male Emigrants and Immigrants Spain female pregnancy public hospital Article Retrospective Studies major clinical study adult developed country low income country childbirth retrospective study puerperium
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84996588072&doi=10.1016%2fj.jegh.2016.07.002&partnerID=40&md5=9a480e6dc7a8db52d88ba25ec5f91108
DOI: 10.1016/j.jegh.2016.07.002
ISSN: 22106006
Original Language: English