Gaceta Sanitaria
Volume 23, Issue SUPPL. 1, 2009, Pages 29-37

Relationship between migrant status and social support and quality of life in Moroccans in the Basque Country (Spain) [Relación del estatus migratorio y del apoyo social con la calidad de vida de los marroquíes en el País Vasco] (Article) (Open Access)

Rodríguez Álvarez E.* , Lanborena Elordui N. , Errami M. , Rodríguez Rodríguez A. , Pereda Riguera C. , Vallejo de la Hoz G. , Moreno Marquez G.
  • a Departamento de Enfermería I, Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea UPV, EHU, Bilbao, Spain
  • b Departamento de Enfermería I, Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea UPV, EHU, Bilbao, Spain
  • c Universitè Abdel Malek Essâadi, Tetouan, Morocco
  • d Médicos del Mundo/Munduko-Medikuak, Bilbao, Spain
  • e Médicos del Mundo/Munduko-Medikuak, Bilbao, Spain
  • f Departamento de Enfermería I, Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea UPV, EHU, Bilbao, Spain
  • g Ikuspegi/Observatorio Vasco de Inmigración, Bilbao, Spain

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the effect of birth place, migrant status and the modulatory role of social support on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and the presence of anxiety/depression symptoms. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of three samples composed of 2,776 persons: 1,239 Moroccans in Morocco, 149 Moroccans in the Basque Country (Spain) and 1,388 autochthonous individuals. HRQoL and the presence of anxiety/depression symptoms were evaluated using the Short-Form-36 (SF-36) and the Mental Health Inventory-5 (MHI-5). Social support was evaluated with the Duke scale. Multivariate analyses were performed with dichotomic logistic regression (SPSS 16). Results: Immigrant status, compared with living in Morocco, was a protective factor in practically all SF-36 dimensions but was also a risk factor for the development of anxiety/depression symptoms. Differences in HRQoL between Moroccans and the autochthonous population in the Basque Country were attenuated when variables of social support were included in the multivariate models. Low social support and dissatisfaction with social life increased the risk of low HRQoL scores and the presence of anxiety/depression symptoms among Moroccans in the Basque Country. Conclusions: Some health indicators are more favorable in Moroccans in the Basque Country than in those living in Morocco, but the frequency of anxiety/depression is higher in Moroccan immigrants. The key factor to understanding social inequalities in health among Moroccan immigrants is social support. Strategies to maintain optimal health in these immigrant collectives should include public policies of social inclusion. © 2009 SESPAS.

Author Keywords

Anxiety/depression Moroccan immigrants Health-related quality of life Social support

Index Keywords

anxiety depression educational status social alienation psychological aspect human social isolation middle aged statistics social support ethnology Cross-Sectional Studies quality of life Young Adult cross-sectional study Humans Adolescent male Emigrants and Immigrants Spain female personality test Personality Inventory questionnaire Article Questionnaires adult migration Personal Satisfaction satisfaction Morocco
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-72049113069&doi=10.1016%2fj.gaceta.2009.07.005&partnerID=40&md5=eaa0ccefab4b315455f80da40e735f97
DOI: 10.1016/j.gaceta.2009.07.005
ISSN: 02139111
Cited by: 12
Original Language: Spanish