Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Association Between Length of Residence and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Among an Ethnically Diverse Group of United States Immigrants

  • Populations at Risk
  • Published:
Journal of General Internal Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Although differences in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors between immigrants and nonimmigrants have been examined previously, the effect of acculturation on CVD risk factors in immigrants has been less well studied.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the association between length of U.S. residence (proxy for acculturation) and major CVD risk factors.

METHODS

Data on 5,230 immigrant adults from the 2002 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) was analyzed. Primary independent variable was length of U.S. residence <10, 10 to <15, and ≥15 years. Main outcome measures included obesity, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, smoking, and physical inactivity. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the association between length of residence and odds of multiple CVD risk factors adjusting for confounders. SAS-callable SUDAAN was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

Among the patients, 55.4% were obese, 17.3% had hypertension, 15.9% had hyperlipidemia, 6.6% had diabetes, 79.3% were physically inactive, and 14.3% were smokers. Using <10 years as reference, those with length of residence ≥15 years were more likely to be obese (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.03–1.65), have hyperlipidemia (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.14–2.22), and be smokers (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.04–1.85). Length of residence ≥15 years was associated with decreased odds of sedentary lifestyle (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.47–0.84). Length of residence ≥15 years was not associated with odds of having diabetes (OR 1.40, 95% CI 0.78–2.51) or hypertension (OR 1.21, 95% CI 0.86–1.71).

CONCLUSIONS

Among immigrants from diverse ethnic backgrounds, longer length of residence in the United States is associated with increased odds of obesity, hyperlipidemia, and cigarette smoking even after adjusting for relevant confounding factors.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. American Heart Association. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2005 Update. Dallas, Tex: American Heart Association; 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Kaplan GA, Keil JE. Socioeconomic factors and cardiovascular disease: a review of the literature. Circulation. 1993;88:1973–98.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Report of the Conference on Socioeconomic Status and Cardiovascular Health and Disease. Bethesda, Md: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; 1995.

  4. Anderson NB. Behavioral and sociocultural perspectives on ethnicity and health: introduction to the special issue. Health Psychol. 1995;14:589–91.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Winkleby MA. Accelerating cardiovascular risk factor change in ethnic minority and low socioeconomic groups. Ann Epidemiol. 1997;7:S96–S103.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Dey AN. Physical and Mental Health Characteristics of U.S.- and Foreign-Born Adults: United States, 1998–2003. Advance Data from Vital and Health Statistics: no 369. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics; 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Singh GK, Miller BA. Health, life expectancy, and mortality patterns among immigrant populations in the United States. Can J Public Health. 2004;95(6):14–21.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Singh GK, Siahpush M. Ethnic-immigrant differentials in health behaviors, morbidity, and cause-specific mortality in the United States: an analysis of two national data bases. Hum Biol. 2002;74:83–109.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Hendershot GE. Health of the foreign-born population: United States, 1985–86. Adv Data Vital Health Stat. 1988;156:1–6, June 13.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Stephen EH, foote K, Hendershot GE, Schoenborn CA. Health of the foreign-born population: United States, 1989–90. Advance data from vital and Health Statistics: no 241. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics; 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Frisbie WP, Cho Y, Hummer RA. Immigration and the health of Asian and Pacific Islander adults in the United States. Am J Epidemiol. 2001;153(4):372–80.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Markides KS, Coreil J. The health of Hispanics in the southwestern United States: an epidemiologic paradox. Public Health Reports. 1986;101(3):253–65.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Marmot MG, Adelstein AM, Bulusu L. Lessons from the study of immigrant mortality. Lancet. 1984;112:1455–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Rosenwaike I. Mortality of Hispanic populations. In: Rosenwaike I, ed. Mortality of Hispanic Populations. New York, NY: Greenwood Press; 1991:3–11.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Thomas DB, Karagas MR. Migrant studies. In: Schottenfeld D, Fraumen JF, eds. Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention. 2nd ed. Oxford, New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 1999:236–54.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Hummer RA, Biegler M, De Turk PB, Orbes D, Frisbie WP, Ying H. Race/ethnicity, nativity, and infant mortality in the United States. Soc Forces. 1999;77:1083–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Hummer RA, Rogers RG, Nam CB, Leclere FB. Race/ethnicity, nativity and US adult mortality. Soc Sci Q. 1999;80:136–53.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Scribner R. Paradox as paradigm—the health outcomes of Mexican Americans. Am J Public Health. 1996;86:303–5.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Scribner R, Dwyer JH. Acculturation and low birth weight among Latinos in the Hispanic HANES. Am J Public Health. 1989;79:1263–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Goel MS, McCarthy EP, Phillips RS, Wee CC. Obesity among US immigrant subgroups by duration of Residence. JAMA. 2004;292:2860–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Kaplan MS, Huguet N, Newsom JT, McFarland BH. The association between length of residence and obesity among Hispanic immigrants. Am J Prev Med. 2004;27(4).

  22. Abraido-Lanza AF, Chao MT, Florez KR. Do healthy behaviors decline with greater acculturation? Implications for the Latino mortality paradox. Soc Sci Med. 2005;61:1243–55.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. National Center for Health Statistics 2003. Data File Documentation, National Health Interview Survey, 2002 (machine readable data file and documentation). National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, Maryland.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Kushi LH, Fee RM, Folsom AR, Mink PJ, Anderson KE, Sellers TA. Physical activity and mortality in postmenopausal women. JAMA. 1997;277:1287–92.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Stern MP, Knapp, JA, Hazuda HP, Haffner SM, Patterson JK, Mitchell BD. Genetic and environmental determinants of type II diabetes in Mexican Americans: is there a “descending limb” to the modernization/diabetes relationship? Diabetes Care. 1991;14(Supplement):648–54.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Cantero PJ, Richardson JL, Baezconde-Garbanati L, Marks G. The association between acculturation and health practices among middle-aged and elderly Latinas. Ethn Dis. 1999;9:166–80.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Himmelgreen DA. The longer you stay the bigger you get: length of time and language use in the US are associated with obesity in Puerto Rican Women. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2004;25:90–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Arica EM, Skinner M, Bailey D, Correa V. Models of acculturation and health behaviors among Latino immigrants to the U.S. Soc Sci Med. 2001;53:41–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Haynes SG, Harvey C, Montes H, Nickens H, Cohen BH. Patterns of cigarette smoking among Hispanics in the United States: results from HHANES 1982–1984. Am J Public Health. 1990;80(Supplement):47–53.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Marin G, Perez-Stable EJ, Marin BV. Cigarette smoking among San Francisco Hispanics: the role of acculturation and gender. Am J Public Health. 1989;79:196–98.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

Dr. Koya is supported by grant #D55HP05159 from the Health Resources Services Administration.

Conflict of Interest

None disclosed.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine & Center for Health Disparities Research, Medical University of South Carolina, 135 Rutledge Avenue, Room 280H, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA

    Deepika L. Koya MD & Leonard E. Egede MD, MS

  2. Charleston VA TREP, Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC, USA

    Leonard E. Egede MD, MS

Authors
  1. Deepika L. Koya MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Leonard E. Egede MD, MS
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Leonard E. Egede MD, MS.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Koya, D.L., Egede, L.E. Association Between Length of Residence and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Among an Ethnically Diverse Group of United States Immigrants. J GEN INTERN MED 22, 841–846 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-007-0163-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-007-0163-y

KEY WORDS

Search

Navigation