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The Relationship of Language Acculturation (English Proficiency) to Current Self-Rated Health Among African Immigrant Adults

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Abstract

Although over 1.5 million African immigrants live in the US, few studies have examined the relationship of language acculturation to health outcomes among African immigrant adults. The primary objective of this research was to investigate the relationship between English proficiency and current self-rated health among African immigrant adults. Using a cross-sectional design, a secondary data analysis was performed on baseline data from the African immigrant adult subsample (n = 763) of the 2003 New Immigrant Survey, a longitudinal study of lawful permanent residents. Limited English proficiency (LEP), increased duration of US residence, older age at immigration, being male, less than 12 years of education, poor pre-migration health, and chronic disease were associated with good/fair/poor current self-rated health. Findings support consideration of pre-migration health and chronic disease in future acculturation and health studies, and provision of linguistically competent interventions for LEP African immigrants at risk for poor health outcomes.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge doctoral dissertation support for Maria-Theresa C. Okafor from University of Maryland School of Medicine Research Training in the Epidemiology of Aging through the National Institutes of Health and National Institute on Aging (Grant #: T32 AG00262), and salary support for Olivia D. Carter-Pokras from the Prevention Research Centers Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Cooperative agreement 1 U48 DP001929). The findings and conclusions in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD, 21250, USA

    Maria-Theresa C. Okafor

  2. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD, USA

    Olivia D. Carter-Pokras

  3. Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Sandra J. Picot

  4. Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Min Zhan

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  1. Maria-Theresa C. Okafor
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Correspondence to Maria-Theresa C. Okafor.

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Okafor, MT.C., Carter-Pokras, O.D., Picot, S.J. et al. The Relationship of Language Acculturation (English Proficiency) to Current Self-Rated Health Among African Immigrant Adults. J Immigrant Minority Health 15, 499–509 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-012-9614-6

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