Urban birth and migrant status as risk factors for psychosis: an Australian case-control study

Background Urban birth and migrant status have been identified as risk factors for psychosis in North American and European studies. The aim of this study was to explore these variables in an Australian case-control study. Method Country of birth of subjects and their parents, and place of birth of Australian-born subjects, were examined in individuals with psychosis drawn from a prevalence study (n = 310) and well controls recruited from the same catchment area (n = 303). Results Migrant status was associated with a significantly decreased odds of having a psychotic disorder. For those born in Australia, neither migrant status of parents nor urban birth was associated with having a psychotic disorder. Conclusions The lack of effect for urban birth and second-generation migrant status may help generate candidate environmental risk factors that operate in Europe but not in Australia. Accepted: 7 August 2001     

快速评估上海市闵行区外来流动人口艾滋病相关知识、态度和行为

目的快速评估社区中外来流动人口和社区关键知情人的艾滋病相关知识、态度和行为。方法采取方便抽样的方法对上海市闵行地区3个社区74名流动人员、27名社区关键知情人和20名社区服务人员进行个人深入访谈和小组访谈。结果外来流动人口以青壮年居多,文化程度低,艾滋病预防知识缺乏,且存在不同程度的危险行为。流动人口的安全套使用率和艾滋病自愿咨询检测(VCT)知晓率都很低。约一半的外来流动人员和社区关键知情人对HIV感染者存在歧视心理,但多数人支持我们在其场所开展艾滋病预防干预工作。结论需要在外来流动人口社区中开展更广泛的社区发动和与其场所相适应的艾滋病预防干预工作,同时要加强安全套与VCT服务的推广和开展反歧视的社区干预工作。     

Religious and cultural distance in beliefs about health and illness in women with diabetes mellitus of different origin living in Sweden

The study explored beliefs about health and illness in females with diabetes mellitus (DM) from different religious backgrounds living in Sweden. Swedes showed an active self-care behaviour and a healthy and controlled life-style. Ex-Yugoslavian Muslims emphasised enjoyment of life and a passive self-care attitude, lesser inclination to self-monitoring of blood glucose and preventive foot care. Arabs emphasised adaptation to DM and a lot of 'musts' concerning diet, and had a lower threshold for seeking care. They also emphasised being a believing Muslim, and although explaining the cause of DM as 'the will of Allah or God', in contrast to ex-Yugoslavians, they actively searched for information about management of DM. Cultural and religious distance are essential for understanding self-care practice and care-seeking behaviour, and need to be considered in the planning of diabetes care.     

Malaria risk perception, knowledge and prophylaxis practices among travellers of African ethnicity living in Paris and visiting their country of origin in sub-Saharan Africa

An observational prospective cohort study assessed malaria risk perception, knowledge and prophylaxis practices among individuals of African ethnicity living in Paris and travelling to their country of origin to visit friends or relatives (VFR). The study compared two groups of VFR who had visited a travel clinic (TC; n=122) or a travel agency (TA; n=69) before departure. Of the 47% of VFR citing malaria as a health concern, 75% knew that malaria is mosquito-borne and that bed nets are an effective preventive measure. Perception of high malaria risk was greater in the TA group (33%) than in the TC group (7%). The availability of a malaria vaccine was mentioned by 35% of VFR, with frequent confusion between yellow fever vaccine and malaria prevention. Twenty-nine percent took adequate chemoprophylaxis with complete adherence, which was higher among the TC group (41%) than the TA group (12%). Effective antivector protection measures used were bed nets (16%), wearing long clothes at night (14%) and air conditioning (8%), with no differences between the study groups except in the use of impregnated bed nets (11% of the TC group and none of the TA group). Media coverage, malaria chemoprophylaxis repayment and cultural adaptation of preventive messages should be improved to reduce the high rate of inadequate malaria prophylaxis in VFR.     

健康移民效应的实证研究——青年流动人口健康状况的变化趋势及影响因素

目的:通过分析青年流动人口健康状况随时间的变化趋势,对健康移民效应进行实证研究,为制定流动人口健康保障相关政策提供依据。方法:本文利用"2015年青年流动人口健康意识调查"数据,对3 001名青年流动人口及1 531名当地人口进行分析,用体质指数(BMI)作为衡量健康的客观指标。结果:流动时间小于1年的青年流动人口,其超重/肥胖的比例为12.5%,要低于当地人口的18.9%(P0.05)。随着流动时间的延长,青年流动人口超重及肥胖的比例逐渐接近当地人口;当流动时间达到5年及以上时,超重/肥胖的比例达到27.8%,高于当地人口。多因素分析结果表明,在婚、经济收入5 000元/月及以上、参加保险、吸烟、经常喝酒、流动时间较长的青年流动人口超重/肥胖的比例较高,与健康状况变差有关。结论:加大健康促进力度,倡导健康生活方式,相关部门应采取必要的措施以改善流动人口卫生服务利用,降低流动人口异地就医障碍,保障流动人口健康。     

‘I have only little English’: language anxiety of Filipino migrants with chronic disease

Objective: This study investigates communication challenges faced by Filipino patients with chronic diseases when engaging with healthcare professionals (HCPs).

Design: Nine focus groups were conducted between November 2010 and June 2011.

Results: Two main categories of themes were identified: patient-related and HCP-related factors. Patient-related factors included three subthemes: (1) lack of confidence in their English language abilities in clinical situations; (2) cultural attitudes; and (3) strategies used to improve communication. Older Filipinos with chronic disease were anxious about their lack of ability to explain their symptoms in English and were concerned that asking questions was conveying distrust in the HCPs. Most of the elderly simply nodded their head to indicate they understood even if they did not, for fear of being thought ‘stupid’. Many participants preferred Filipino GPs or have a relative interpret for them. Two subthemes were related to HCPs including (1) not being listened to and (2) assumptions of understanding. HCPs were thought to assume English language skills in Filipino patients and therefore were not careful about ensuring understanding.

Conclusions: These findings highlighted the need for HCPs to be more aware of ‘grey areas’ in English-language proficiency and the cultural lens through which migrants understand health.     

Connecting The Dots: When the Risks of HIV/STD Infection Appear High But the Burden of Infection Is Not Known—The Case of Male Latino Migrants in the Southern United States

Between 1990 and 2000, the number of Latinos in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, states that had no or small Latino populations in 1990, increased by more than 300% on average. Several of these states (referred to as rapid growth states) have high AIDS/STD case rates. Compared to Latinos in states with well-established Latino populations and Latinos nationwide, those in rapid growth states are more often males, young, foreign-born, and recent arrivals who travel without females. The typical Latino in rapid growth states is a young male migrant. Although these migrants may be at risk of HIV/STD infection, little is known about the risk factors that affect them. To clarify this picture, a database search was conducted to identify studies of HIV/STD infection and/or risk factors among rural and urban-based Latino migrants in the six rapid growth states. This qualitative review examines ten studies that were conducted in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Five of the studies screened for HIV and/or syphilis infection and provide some information on risk factors; five studies describe risk factors only. Most of those studies that describe risk factors provide evidence that male Latino migrants in rural and urban settings of rapid growth states are vulnerable to HIV/STD infection through heterosexual contacts. However, many of the studies fail to provide sufficient information on other risk factors, and all but one of the studies that screened migrants for HIV or STD infection were conducted between 1988 and 1991. There is an urgent need for updated information on HIV/STD infection and the social-behavioral and situational risk factors that affect male Latino migrants in rapid growth states of the South. Electronic Supplementary Material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. The findings reported here were presented in part at the 16th International AIDS Conference in Toronto, Canada (13–18 August 2006), abstract number TUPE0641, and the 19th Annual East Coast Migrant Stream Forum in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (19–21 October 2006). The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.     

以照顾家人为目的城乡来源流动老年人健康及锻炼行为比较分析

目的 分析比较以照顾家人为目的城乡来源的流动老年人的健康及锻炼行为。 方法 在“2015年全国流动人口卫生计生动态监测调查数据”中获取研究对象3 175名。采用logistic回归分析城乡老年人自评健康及锻炼行为的影响因素。 结果 以照顾家人为目的的流动老年人自评健康和锻炼时长普遍较高,但城乡来源老年人存在差异。二项logistic回归发现,未患高血压/糖尿病、共同居住、本地朋友数量多是城乡老年人自评健康状况好的共性因素,而城市老年人中个人经济独立（OR=1.62, 95%CI: 1.08~2.44）、农村老年人中家庭人均收入更高（OR=1.74, 95%CI : 1.38~2.18）与自评健康状况好相关。有序logistic回归表明,朋友数量多是城乡老年人锻炼时间长的共性因素,而城市老年人经济独立（OR=1.63, 95%CI : 1.08~2.45）和独立居住（OR=1.56, 95%CI : 1.08~2.22）、农村老年人患高血压/糖尿病（OR=1.35, 95%CI : 1.10~1.65）和健康自评好（OR=1.32, 95%CI : 1.11~1.56）与锻炼时间长相关。结论 城乡来源的流动老年人自评健康和锻炼行为及影响因素既有共性也存在差异,需要关注流动老年人群的异质性,同时需要加强社会支持和家庭支持以促进流动老年人健康。