OBJECTIVE. Know the factors that may influence the change from healthy diseased status in Sub-Saharan immigrants in the first years after their arrival in Spain. PATIENTS AND METHODS. Cross-sectional, descriptive study in Sub-Saharan immigrants over 18 years of age who have come to two Social Health Care Sites for immigrants of the Madrid Community during the period ranging from August 2003 to February 2004. RESULTS. 606 Sub-Saharan immigrants, 55.45% of whom are men. Mean age: 27 years (SD: 6.61). Among those main factors reported by them that may influence the change from a healthy to diseased status are financial/work situation (85.48%), separation from the family (64.19%), food (44.88%), housing (41.91%), social network (39.44%), a legal situation, (36.03%), work conditions (31.35%), lack of knowledge of the setting (18.32%) and discrimination (17.66%). The female gender evaluated family separation (84.81%), food (72.96%), housing (63.70%) and discrimination (27.04%) more. CONCLUSIONS. Among the main factors evaluated as important in the change from healthy to diseased status are financial and/or work situation, breakdown of family ties, food, housing, social network, legal situation, work conditions, lack of knowledge of the setting and discrimination. Women give greater importance to family separation, food, housing and discrimination as conditioning value of health.

Health Sub-Saharan Africa Immigrant

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