Journal of Community Health
Volume 34, Issue 3, 2009, Pages 181-187

Health status in immigrants and native early adolescents in Italy (Article)

Vieno A.* , Santinello M. , Lenzi M. , Baldassari D. , Mirandola M.
  • a Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, via Belzoni, 80, Padova 35131, Italy
  • b Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, via Belzoni, 80, Padova 35131, Italy
  • c Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, via Belzoni, 80, Padova 35131, Italy
  • d Regional Centre for Health Promotion, Veneto Region, via Marconi, 27F, Verona 37122, Italy
  • e Regional Centre for Health Promotion, Veneto Region, via Marconi, 27F, Verona 37122, Italy

Abstract

The aim of the study was to compare health status between native and immigrant early adolescents in Italy and to analyze related psychosocial factors. Data were taken from "Health Behavior in School Aged Children", a cross-sectional survey investigating health behaviors among early adolescents in selected European countries. A representative sample of 6,744 (50.4% males) Italian students (11, 13 and 15-years-old) completed a questionnaire. Students were assessed for demographics characteristics, socio-economic conditions, social support and bullying victimization, and, as dependent variables, for health complaints, self-reported health, life satisfaction and happiness. It turned out that immigrant adolescents, as compared to natives, are more often affected by psychosomatic symptoms, less satisfied about their health and about life, and less happy. A multiple regression model showed that migration itself is related to life satisfaction and happiness. Socio-economic inequalities, lack of social integration and victimization determine the differences between immigrants and natives in terms of health symptoms and self-reported health. Immigrant adolescents demonstrated worse health status then their native classmates. However, the differences in terms of subjective well-being are not explained by socio-economic differences, lack of social integration and discrimination. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Author Keywords

early adolescence Health status HBSC WHO Immigration

Index Keywords

social psychology human immigration controlled study health status social support adolescent health Happiness bullying quality of life school child Humans racism life satisfaction Adolescent male Emigrants and Immigrants female socioeconomics Health Status Indicators Article integration Questionnaires major clinical study world health organization Italy psychosomatic disorder Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-63149129159&doi=10.1007%2fs10900-008-9144-2&partnerID=40&md5=d9cdecf9cd968782afdf00aa23e223cf
DOI: 10.1007/s10900-008-9144-2
ISSN: 00945145
Cited by: 51
Original Language: English