Journal of Migration and Health最新文献

{"title":"Navigating healthcare pathways: Cascade of prevention and care for chronic viral hepatitis in asylum seekers and refugees. A multicenter analysis in Northern Italy","authors":"Beatrice Formenti ,&nbsp;Roberto Benoni ,&nbsp;Jacopo Testa ,&nbsp;Giulia Bertoli ,&nbsp;Giacomo Stroffolini ,&nbsp;Maria Grazia Pizzi ,&nbsp;Barbara Menzaghi ,&nbsp;Niccolò Ronzoni ,&nbsp;Paola Magro ,&nbsp;Issa El Hamad ,&nbsp;Carla Scolari ,&nbsp;Angiola Spinetti ,&nbsp;Serena Zaltron ,&nbsp;Francesco Castelli ,&nbsp;Valentina Marchese ,&nbsp;Alberto Matteelli","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100307","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100307","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Viral hepatitis is a leading cause of mortality and a global public health challenge that, until recently, has been largely neglected as a health priority. This study describes the prevalence of viral hepatitis B and C in asylum seekers and refugees who participated in screening across three cities in Northern Italy. The analysis highlights significant pitfalls in linkage and retention in care, as well as factors associated with continuing or discontinuing the healthcare pathways, controlling for WHO Region of origin, gender, age and study site. Hospital records provided demographic and clinical data. Screening for HBV, HCV, and HIV was conducted, followed by clinical management and vaccination where appropriate. Multinomial logistic regression identified distinct care pathways. Of 1,514 participants, 80.2 % underwent screening, with 87.3 % testing negative for all infections. For those with chronic infections, 20.8 % missed their first infectious disease consultation, and only 39.3 % were retained in care after one year. Among the 591 individuals (55.8 % of the total) eligible for HBV vaccination, 10.0 % (59 out of 591) actually received the vaccine. Seven distinct care pathways were identified, where significant differences were observed based on the region of origin and the specific study site, highlighting the impact of local healthcare infrastructure and support systems. This study highlights the critical need for innovative, intersectoral and community-based approaches that are responsive to migrants' needs and perspectives. Key recommendations include enhancing linkage to care, improving followup strategies, and establishing a robust national and European network to ensure continuity of care and to integrate public health efforts across the entire care pathway and deliver fair and equitable healthcare..</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100307"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143101956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Increased risk of adverse maternal pregnancy outcomes among undocumented migrants in Norway","authors":"Ragnhild Misje ,&nbsp;Frode Eick ,&nbsp;Odd Martin Vallersnes ,&nbsp;Heidi E. Fjeld ,&nbsp;Ingvil K. Sørbye ,&nbsp;Cecilie Dahl","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100318","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100318","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Migrants are known to have an increased risk for adverse complications during delivery. However, it is not known whether undocumented migrants have a different risk profile compared to documented migrants and non-migrants. Better knowledge about undocumented migrants’ reproductive outcomes is crucial to enable targeted preventive interventions.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>We performed a historical register-based population study based on numbers from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN) from 1999 to 2020. Women aged 18–49 years with singleton births were included, in total 1,247,537 births. Legal status, i.e., undocumented migrants (without a Norwegian identity number), documented migrants (with a Norwegian identity number and born abroad) and non-migrants (with a Norwegian identity number and born in Norway), was used as the exposure. We used logistic regression to estimate the association between legal status and adverse maternal birth outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In total 5856 undocumented migrant women gave birth during the study period, representing 0.5 % of all births in Norway. Undocumented migrants had an odds ratio (OR) of 1.39 (95 % Confidence Interval (CI) 1.28–1.50) for an acute CS and OR=0.86 (95 % CI 0.76–0.98) for a planned CS, both compared to non-migrants. Similarly, the OR for severe postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) was =1.22 (95 % CI 1.03–1.43) and OR=0.69 (95 % CI=0.56–0.85) for anal sphincter injury. None of the results were significantly different when documented migrants were used as the reference group.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Undocumented migrants have an increased risk of adverse maternal birth complications compared to non-migrants, but not different from documented migrants. This indicates that for maternal birth complications, factors concerning migration may affect the risk profile to a larger degree than legal status.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100318"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143550339","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Socioeconomic inequalities in mortality among Italian and immigrant residents: A longitudinal population-based study","authors":"Martina Ventura ,&nbsp;Alessio Petrelli ,&nbsp;Anteo Di Napoli ,&nbsp;Sara Leone ,&nbsp;Enrico Grande ,&nbsp;Marilena Pappagallo ,&nbsp;Luisa Frova","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100316","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100316","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>A socioeconomic mortality gradient, favourable to the most advantaged social groups, has been documented in high migratory pressure (HMPCs) and highly developed countries, including Italy. However, little is known about how this association differs between natives and immigrants. This study aimed to evaluate the association between education level, occupational class and mortality among Italian and immigrant residents.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Using a longitudinal design, the 2011 Italian Census population was followed up to 2019. All-cause mortality was retrieved by record linkage with the Causes of Death register. The association between education/occupational class and mortality was evaluated in subjects aged 30–64, separately by sex, citizenship/macro area of origin. Mortality rate ratios (MRR) and 95 % confidence intervals were estimated using negative binomial regression models.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Of the 23,572,516 subjects analysed, 7 % were immigrants from HMPCs; of the 410,746 deaths, 3 % were from HMPCs. Among Italians, a mortality gradient by education was observed (low/high adjMRR: 2.37 [2.16–2.60] males; 1.79 [1.64–1.96] females), whereas a weaker association with no trend was found for HMPC immigrants (adjMRR: 1.12 [1.00–1.25] males; 1.12 [1.00–1.26] females). Regarding occupational class, for immigrants from HMPCs, a higher mortality was observed in male “farmers” and “inactives” compared to “non-manual workers” (adjMRR = 1.31 [1.06–1.61] and adjMRR = 1.67 [1.50–1.85], respectively); and in females for “inactive” subjects (adjMRR = 1.48 [1.35–1.62]).</div><div>A higher mortality for the less educated was observed for males from Romania, India and China, and for females from Central-Eastern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa and Central and South America. A lower mortality was found for the least educated from Morocco.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The higher mortality among less educated subjects was confirmed among Italians, while it was less evident among immigrants from HMPCs. However, differences observed between citizenships, macro-areas of origin and sex highlight the need for social policies accounting for specific risk factors and cultural specificities affecting correct lifestyles and health service access.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100316"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143563741","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unequal weathering: How immigrants’ health advantage vanishes over the life-course","authors":"Silvia Loi ,&nbsp;Peng Li ,&nbsp;Mikko Myrskylä","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100303","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100303","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The weathering hypothesis implies that there is an interaction between age and race or ethnicity that results in marginalized groups experiencing a more rapid decline in health than the dominant groups. This hypothesis has been tested mostly focusing on racial and ethnic health inequalities, while less is known about weathering by immigration background. This paper aims at contributing to this strand of research by addressing four research questions: is the health of immigrants declining at a faster pace over the life-course, compared to non-immigrants? Do higher levels of education protect immigrants from accelerated ageing compared to non-immigrants? How do income and marital status affect the health trajectories of immigrants and non-immigrants? How do these patterns vary by sex? We use longitudinal survey data to estimate healthy ageing trajectories of immigrants and non-immigrants over the life-course, in the German context. We examine the roles of education, income, and marital status, separately for men and women. We find that immigrants, and especially immigrant women, have a faster health decline than non-immigrants; that high education is linked to higher levels of health, but does not protect immigrants from ageing in poorer health compared to non-immigrants; and that health disparities between immigrants and non-immigrants persist over the life-course net of the socio-economic controls, which appear to be secondary to other unobserved determinants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100303"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143101960","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Breastfeeding practices and exclusive breastfeeding among syrian refugee mothers in Jordanian Host Communities","authors":"Suhaila Halasa ,&nbsp;Reema Safadi ,&nbsp;Dua' Al-Maharma ,&nbsp;Manar Nabolsi ,&nbsp;Jennifer Dohrn ,&nbsp;Muayyad Ahmad","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100324","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100324","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Breastfeeding initiation and exclusivity are essential in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity rates. Employing the Health Belief Model as a framework, this cross-sectional survey aimed to identify influencing factors and barriers to exclusive breastfeeding among 523 eligible Syrian refugee mothers living in Jordan. Of these, 35.8 % practiced exclusive breastfeeding and 36.9 % initiated breastfeeding within the first hour of birth. The logistic regression model showed that prior breastfeeding experience (OR = 5.06, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001, 95 % CI: 2.17–11.82), maternal satisfaction with feeding method (OR = 3.58, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001, 95 % CI: 1.89–6.76), medical insurance (OR = 1.74, <em>p</em> = 0.015, 95 % CI: 1.11–2.73), birth method (OR = 1.69, <em>p</em> = 0.034, 95 % CI: 1.04–2.73) and infant gender (OR= 0.64, <em>p</em> = 0.05, 95 % CI: 0.41–0.99) significantly influenced exclusive breastfeeding rates.</div><div>The findings revealed that breastfeeding practices do not align with WHO recommendations, emphasizing the crucial role of healthcare providers in supporting breastfeeding mothers during crises. It is essential to consider the unique circumstances and cultural backgrounds of refugees when evaluating their needs for developing breastfeeding programs. International health organizations, like the UNHCR, and host country policymakers should prioritize access to antenatal and postnatal counseling services and health insurance for mothers and children during crises.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100324"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143768138","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rate estimation and trend analysis of new HIV infections among the international migrant population in Chile from 2013 to 2022","authors":"Rodrigo Puentes ,&nbsp;María Alejandra Dünner ,&nbsp;Natalia T. Santis-Alay ,&nbsp;Mario E. Soto-Marchant ,&nbsp;Cecilia Canales ,&nbsp;Janepsy Díaz","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2024.100297","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2024.100297","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>International migrants are central to HIV research, but comparative data on their infection rates versus resident populations, including in Chile, are scarce. This study compares HIV incidence rates between international migrants and Chileans.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A longitudinal study was conducted. Crude and standardized rates of new HIV infections reported by the Institute of Public Health of Chile (ISP) were calculated for the period 2013 to 2022, using data from public and private health facilities nationwide. Population estimates for international migrants and Chileans were obtained from the National Institute of Statistics (INE) and the National Migration Service (SERMIG). Rates were adjusted for age and sex using the direct method.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 51,513 validated new HIV infections were analyzed, of which 14,936 (29.0 %) occurred in international migrants and 36,577 (71.0 %) in Chileans. International migrants showed an increase in incidence rates between 2013 and 2022 (adjusted rate from 22.6 [95 % CI: 18.3 – 27.0] to 115.6 [95 % CI: 110.5 – 120.7] new HIV infections per 100,000 population). Throughout the study period, the ratio of adjusted incidence rates between international migrants and Chileans increased from 1.0 [95 % CI: 0.9 – 1.2] to 7.6 [95 % CI: 7.2 – 8.0].</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>HIV incidence rates were higher in international migrants than in Chileans and increased over the study period. This may be influenced by various exogenous factors, including social determinants of health and the COVID-19 pandemic. It is crucial to focus on HIV diagnosis, prevention, and control strategies for international migrants in Chile.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100297"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11759548/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143048124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Contexts of reception and refugee health: Experiences of foreign-born people in the United States and Belgium","authors":"Solveig A. Cunningham ,&nbsp;Hadewijch Vandenheede ,&nbsp;Rebecca Jones-Antwi","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2024.100288","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2024.100288","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Immigrants’ health may differ with the characteristics of the place they resettle. We examined eating patterns and weight status across two differing environments - Atlanta, United States and Brussels, Belgium - collecting information on diet and health from a diverse sample of 111 refugees, asylum-seekers and other migrants. Analyses used descriptive statistics, multivariate regressions, and text analysis. People who had resettled in Atlanta reported higher weight categories than those in Belgium. In both locations, the most commonly adopted items were processed foods (71 % in Atlanta, 45 % in Brussels); many also listed adopting fruits and vegetables (31 % in Atlanta, 14 % in Brussels). Thus, changes in health-related behaviors after migration included both healthy and unhealthy components of the contexts of reception. Longer time since arrival was associated with lower odds of having adopted processed foods and higher odds of having adopted fresh foods, suggesting that dietary change is nuanced with immigrants’ integration trajectories.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100288"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11783434/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143081352","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association between new-onset atrial fibrillation and adverse clinical outcomes by country of origin: A matched nationwide cohort study","authors":"Juliane Frydenlund ,&nbsp;Jan Brink Valentin ,&nbsp;Nicklas Vinter ,&nbsp;Pia Cordsen ,&nbsp;Marie Norredam ,&nbsp;Sam Riahi ,&nbsp;Kristian Hay Kragholm ,&nbsp;Henrik Bøggild ,&nbsp;Lars Frost ,&nbsp;Søren Paaske Johnsen","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100306","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100306","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Incidence and prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) is increasing worldwide, and the condition is associated with high risk of adverse clinical outcomes. Increasing global migration results in more diverse patient populations, and knowledge about AF-related outcomes in immigrants is warranted.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>To examine clinical outcomes after AF diagnosis across migrant populations in Denmark.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>Patients with first-time AF and sex-, age- and country of origin matched non-AF population (ratio 1:5) were followed from age 45 from 1998 to 2017. Poisson regression was used and stratified by country of origin for the clinical outcomes: stroke, major bleeding, heart failure, and all-cause mortality. Analyses were adjusted for sex, age, comorbidity, contacts to general practitioners, and socioeconomic variables.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The population contained 1,940,010 individuals of Danish origin and 47,952 with origin in one of the ten most represented countries. For all outcomes, the adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRR) was higher for individuals diagnosed with AF. For stroke, the lowest and highest IRR were observed for individuals from Pakistan (1.87 [95 %CI: 1.14; 3.07]) and Bosnia-Herzegovina (5.32 [95 %CI: 3.37;7.93]), for heart failure: Iraq (5.06 [95 %CI:3.07;8.34]) and Bosnia-Herzegovina (8.10 [95 %CI: 6.07;10.80]), for major bleeding: Finland (2.04 [95 %CI: 1.42;2.95]) and Yugoslavia (3.53 [95 %CI: 2.70;4.62]), and death: Germany (1.60 [95 %CI: 1.51;1.69]) and Pakistan (2.33 [95 %CI: 1.83;2.98]).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>AF was associated with a substantially higher risk of adverse clinical outcomes among Danish-born, and all examined migrant populations. However, the impact of AF appeared to differ according to country of origin, which could indicate potential differences in AF care and compliance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100306"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143101958","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and determinants of anaemia in South Asian diaspora women residing in Hong Kong: An exploratory cross-sectional study","authors":"Gary Ka-Ki Chung ,&nbsp;Bulbul Sharma ,&nbsp;Danna Camille Vargas ,&nbsp;Woohyung Lee ,&nbsp;Kai Sing Sun ,&nbsp;Heidi Hung ,&nbsp;Hasiba Munir ,&nbsp;Soniya Pun ,&nbsp;Mariem Sharif ,&nbsp;Lee Sha Tong ,&nbsp;Tsz Lui Tang ,&nbsp;Man Hin Chio ,&nbsp;Chi Yui Wong ,&nbsp;Eliza Lai-Yi Wong ,&nbsp;Dong Dong ,&nbsp;Eng-Kiong Yeoh","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100312","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100312","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Anaemia has been a significant public health challenge for the South Asian community, in particular women and migrant populations. Despite abundant research in developed Western settings, evidence in urbanized Asian settings is extremely scarce for comparisons. This study aims to assess the prevalence and social determinants of anaemia in South Asian women residing in Hong Kong, an advanced economy in Asia.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Between June 2022 and December 2023, 675 non-pregnant South Asian adult women were recruited through territory-wide outreach health assessments for anthropometric and biomedical measurements, in addition to a survey on self-reported sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health factors. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression was employed to identify the predictors of anaemia severity.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The observed prevalence of mild and moderate/severe anaemia (haemoglobin level &lt;12 g/dL) were 26.8 % and 31.4 %, respectively. Findings supported the independent protective role of better diet quality against anaemia severity (aOR=0.40 [95 % CI = 0.22, 0.73] for high diet quality compared to poor diet quality), and that women of reproductive age (aOR=2.36 [1.03, 5.44] for the 35–44 age group compared to the youngest group), having a larger household size (aOR=1.11 [1.01,1.21] per person increase), and staying for a longer period in Hong Kong (aOR=1.83 [1.07, 3.13] for &gt; 7 years compared to &lt; 3 years) were associated with more severe anaemia.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The high prevalence of anaemia in our sampled South Asian women in Hong Kong, especially those of reproductive age, was partly attributable to nutrition, acculturation, and cultural preference on larger family size, beyond potential genetic predisposition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100312"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143429108","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Health-related quality of life and mental state in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and migration or minority background – A cross-sectional study","authors":"Konstantin Hofmann ,&nbsp;Claire Decrinis ,&nbsp;Norman Bitterlich ,&nbsp;Annette Bachmann ,&nbsp;Petra Stute","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100313","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100313","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is the most prevalent endocrine disorder among women of reproductive age on a global scale. The severity of symptoms and individual distress can vary greatly and may also depend on the respective ethnic and cultural background. This study aimed to investigate potential variations in health-related quality of life (HRQOL), depression, and anxiety between PCOS patients with a migration (MB) or minority background (Min) and those without (Non-MB/Non-Min).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>An online questionnaire was anonymously distributed to gynecologists, hospitals, and women's clinics in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, along with social media channels to reach women with PCOS. The survey was conducted between November 14th, 2023, and February 5th, 2024. Various aspects including HRQOL, levels of anxiety/depression and self-esteem were evaluated using the Modified-PCOS-Questionnaire (MPCOSQ), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE) respectively. The participants were screened for migration background and self-identification with a socially relevant minority. The selection of potential confounding variables was based on their plausibility and estimated impact. Adjusted odds ratios and their corresponding 95 % confidence intervals were calculated using regression analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The study involved 587 participants with PCOS. MB and Min exhibited significantly poorer HRQOL, and greater symptoms of depression compared to PCOS patients in the two control groups. (MPCOSQ-Total: MB/Non-MB <em>p</em> = 0.02; Min/Non-Min <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001; HADS-Depression: MB/Non-MB <em>p</em> = 0.03; Min/Non-Min <em>p</em> = 0.01) Additionally, MB and Min had significantly lower self-esteem according to the RSE (RSE: MB/Non-MB <em>p</em> = 0.04; Min/Non-Min <em>p</em> = 0.049). In the univariate analysis, Non-MB and Non-Min were associated with partially better HRQOL and lower depression (or respectively poorer HRQOL and depression for MB and Min). However, in the multivariate analysis only Non-Min showed a statistically significant association with higher HRQOL (B: 0.34; CI: 0.04; 0.63; <em>p</em> = 0.03) and only Non-MB was associated with lower depression (B:1.28; CI:2.31; -0.24; <em>p</em> = 0.02).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study highlights the association between MB or Min and poorer HRQOL, higher depression rates, and lower self-esteem among PCOS patients. While genetic and epigenetic factors may contribute, socioeconomic and sociocultural influences likely play significant roles. Healthcare professionals should remain attuned to the diverse needs of women with PCOS, especially those from migration or minority backgrounds, to ensure equitable access to care.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100313"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143395058","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}