American Journal of Industrial Medicine
Volume 53, Issue 4, 2010, Pages 435-442

Immigrants as crime victims: Experiences of personal nonfatal victimization (Article)

Wheeler K. , Zhao W. , Kelleher K. , Stallones L. , Xiang H.*
  • a Center for Injury Research and Policy, Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, 700 Children's Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, United States
  • b Center for Injury Research and Policy, Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, 700 Children's Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, United States
  • c College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States, Center for Innovation in Pediatric Practice, Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
  • d Colorado Center for Injury Control and Research, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States, Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
  • e Center for Injury Research and Policy, Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, 700 Children's Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, United States, College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States

Abstract

Background: Immigrants to the United States are disproportionately victims of homicide mortality in and outside the workplace. Examining their experiences with nonfatal victimization may be helpful in understanding immigrant vulnerability to violence. Methods: We compared the annual prevalence of nonfatal personal victimization experienced by immigrant and US-born adults by sociodemographics, employment, occupation, industry, smoking, alcohol and drug use using data from Wave 1 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Results: The prevalence of victimization among immigrants was comparable to that among US-born adults [3.84% (95% CI: 3.18-4.63) vs. 4.10% (95% CI: 3.77-4.44)]. Lower percentages of victimization experienced by immigrants were seen among the unmarried, those age 30-44 years, and among residents of central city areas as compared to those groups among the US-born. For immigrants entering the US as youth, the victimization prevalence declines with greater years of residency in US. Multivariate logistic regression models suggest that, the odds of victimization was significantly associated with age, family income, marital status, central city residency, smoking, and drug use while employment status was not a significant factor. Immigrant workers with farming/forestry occupations might face a higher risk of being victims of violence than their US-born counterparts. Conclusions: The prevalence of victimization among immigrants was comparable to that among US-born adults. Employment status and industry/occupation overall were not significant risk factors for becoming victims of violence. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:435-442, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Author Keywords

Occupation Immigrant Victimization Industry Nonfatal

Index Keywords

demography risk Wounds and Injuries sex ratio human injury Odds Ratio statistics violence Confidence Intervals Time Factors Logistic Models ethnology Residence Characteristics Confidence interval Young Adult United States Humans Occupations classification male Emigrants and Immigrants occupation female Socioeconomic Factors risk factor Risk Factors Multivariate Analysis socioeconomics victim prevalence Article adult migration Sex Distribution age distribution statistical model time Crime Victims
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-77949842499&doi=10.1002%2fajim.20820&partnerID=40&md5=843056609c70e29a30f7134328077608
DOI: 10.1002/ajim.20820
ISSN: 02713586
Cited by: 11
Original Language: English