Tropical Medicine and International Health
Volume 17, Issue 5, 2012, Pages 595-603

Metabolic, mental health, behavioural and socioeconomic characteristics of migrants with Chagas disease in a non-endemic country (Article)

Jackson Y.* , Castillo S. , Hammond P. , Besson M. , Brawand-Bron A. , Urzola D. , Gaspoz J.-M. , Chappuis F.
  • a Department of Community Medicine Primary Care and Emergency Medicine, University Hospitals Geneva, Switzerland
  • b Faculty of Medicine, Geneva Medical School (University), Geneva, Switzerland
  • c Faculty of Medicine, Geneva Medical School (University), Geneva, Switzerland
  • d Department of Community Medicine Primary Care and Emergency Medicine, University Hospitals Geneva, Switzerland
  • e Department of Community Medicine Primary Care and Emergency Medicine, University Hospitals Geneva, Switzerland
  • f Department of Community Medicine Primary Care and Emergency Medicine, University Hospitals Geneva, Switzerland
  • g Department of Community Medicine Primary Care and Emergency Medicine, University Hospitals Geneva, Switzerland
  • h Division of International and Humanitarian Medicine, University Hospitals Geneva, Switzerland

Abstract

Objectives Chronic Chagas disease causes cardiopathy in 20-40% of the 8-10 million people affected. The prevalence of atherogenic factors increases rapidly in Latin America. Somatic, mental, behavioural and social characteristics of the 80000 Latino migrants with Chagas disease in Europe are not known. We postulate that they may accumulate these factors for poor health - notably cardiovascular-outcomes. Methods This study took place at the Geneva University Hospitals in 2011. Latin American migrants with Chagas disease diagnosed in Geneva since 2008 were contacted. Interviews and blood tests assessed behavioural, socioeconomic, metabolic and cardiovascular factors. Results One hundred and thirty-seven patients (women: 84.7%; median age: 43 years) with chronic Chagas disease were included in the study. The majority were Bolivians (94.2%), undocumented (83.3%), uninsured (72.3%) and living below the Swiss poverty line (89.1%). Prevalence of obesity was 25.5%, of hypertension 17.5%, of hypercholesterolemia 16.1%, of impaired fasting glucose 23.4%, of diabetes 2.9%, of metabolic syndrome 16.8%, of anxiety 58.4%, of depression 28.5%, of current smoking 15.4% and of sedentary lifestyle 62.8%. High (>10%) 10-year cardiovascular risk affected 12.4%. Conclusions Latin American migrants with Chagas disease accumulate pathogenic chronic conditions of infectious, non-transmissible, socioeconomic and behavioural origin, putting them at high risk of poor health, notably cardiovascular, outcomes. This highlights the importance of screening for these factors and providing interventions to tackle reversible disorders; facilitating access to care for this hard-to-reach population to prevent delays in medical interventions and poorer health outcomes; and launching prospective studies to evaluate the long-term impact of these combined factors on the natural course of Chagas disease. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Author Keywords

Migrants Chagas disease Europe risk factors cardiovascular disease prevention

Index Keywords

anxiety depression lifestyle hypercholesterolemia questionnaire survey cardiovascular risk metabolic syndrome X Latin America metabolism Europe poverty Cardiovascular Diseases mental health human Health Behavior comorbidity Cohort Studies pathogen middle aged obesity hypertension Mental Disorders Cross-Sectional Studies Young Adult socioeconomic conditions Humans health impact smoking Hispanic Adolescent cardiovascular disease male Emigrants and Immigrants female Socioeconomic Factors risk factor Risk Factors migratory population socioeconomics Behavior patient assessment prevalence Article disease prevalence major clinical study adult blood analysis migration diabetes Sedentary Lifestyle Chagas Disease cardiovascular system Bolivia Metabolic Diseases
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84859954465&doi=10.1111%2fj.1365-3156.2012.02965.x&partnerID=40&md5=117d32d2972639231f36fb94eddf3d91
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2012.02965.x
ISSN: 13602276
Cited by: 12
Original Language: English