229830 Discrimination and health: The case of men and women immigrant workers in Spain

Wednesday, November 10, 2010 : 11:00 AM - 11:15 AM

Andrés Agudelo-Suarez, PhD , Faculty of Dentistry (Colombia), University of Antioquia (Colombia) & National Observatory for Oral Health and Dentistry Practice, Medellin, Colombia
Elena Ronda, MD, PhD , Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
Diana Gil-González, PhD, MPH , Preventive Medicine and Public Health Area, University of Alicante., Alicante, Spain
Emily Felt, MPP , Center for Occupational Health Reserach (Centre de Investigación en Salud Laboral), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
Carmen Vives-Cases, PhD, MPH , Preventive Medicine and Public Health Area, University of Alicante., Alicante, Spain
Carlos Ruiz-Frutos, MD, MSc , Department of Environmental Biology, Universidad de Huelva, Huelva, Spain
Ana M. García , Spain Trade Union Institue of Work, Environment and Health (Valencia, Spain), University of Valencia, Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Valencia, Spain
Juan Gómez-Salgado, MPH , Department of Environmental Biology, Universidad de Huelva, Huelva, Spain
Fernando G. Benavides, MD, PhD , Center for Occupational Health Reserach (Centre de Investigación en Salud Laboral), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
     
Background: Discrimination has been defined for international organizations as a complex determinant of health inequalities. Immigrants in working age could be a vulnerable population to feel discriminate in the social and workplace in host societies. We aim to analyse the relationship of self-perceived discrimination with two health outcomes in a sample of immigrant workers in Spain.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey (2008) examined demographic, working and health conditions was conducted amongst a non-random sample of 2,434 immigrants from Ecuador, Morocco, Romania and Colombia in four Spanish cities: Barcelona, Huelva, Madrid and Valencia. Association between two dimensions of self-perceived discrimination (due to immigrant status and workplace-related -Yes/No-) and self rated health (Good/Poor), mental health (GHQ-12 -Good/Poor-), were established. Logistic regression was used separately for men (M) and women (W), and adjusted for age, legal status, educative level, occupation, origin country, and time in Spain (aOR; 95%CI).

Results: Immigrants perceiving discrimination in the workplace were more likely to report poor self-rated health (M: aOR 1.84; 95%CI 1.34- 2.52; W: aOR 2.06; 95%CI 1.53- 2.77) and poor mental health (M: aOR 3.23; 95%CI 2.49- 4.20; aOR 2.73 95%CI 2.06- 3.62). Those perceiving discrimination due to immigrant status were also more likely to report poor self-rated health (M: aOR 1.72; 95%CI 1.17- 2.54; W: aOR 1.79 95%CI 1.27- 2.51) and poor mental health (M: aOR 3.31; 95%CI 2.35- 4.67; W: 2.20; 95%CI 1.59- 3.04).

Conclusion: Self-perceived discrimination may constitute a risk factor for immigrantsx health and could explain some inequalities in the host societies.

Learning Areas:
Epidemiology
Occupational health and safety
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
To analyse the relationship between discrimination and self- perceived health in a group of immigrant workers in Spain. To describe the impact of the discrimination as a health determinant in immigrants population To discuss the impact of immigrants' health in the public health and the public policies.

Keywords: Immigrants, Health Disparities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have worked in the project deriving in the abstract submitted to the APHA Session.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 5125.0: International health and safety