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Review
. 2011 Nov-Dec;36(10):1130-43.
doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsr041. Epub 2011 Jul 10.

Immigration and acculturation-related factors and asthma morbidity in Latino children

Daphne Koinis-Mitchell  1 , Amy F Sato, Sheryl J Kopel, Elizabeth L McQuaid, Ronald Seifer, Robert Klein, Cynthia Esteban, Debra Lobato, Alexander N Ortega, Glorisa Canino, Gregory K Fritz
Affiliations
Review

Immigration and acculturation-related factors and asthma morbidity in Latino children

Daphne Koinis-Mitchell et al. J Pediatr Psychol. 2011 Nov-Dec.

Abstract

Objective: This article presents a summary of findings from asthma studies focusing on immigration and acculturation-related factors. A study examining associations between these processes, family cohesion and social support networks, and asthma morbidity in a sample of Dominican and Puerto Rican caregivers residing in the mainland U.S., is also described.

Methods: Latino children with asthma (n = 232), ages 7-16 (49% female) and their caregivers completed interview-based questionnaires on immigration and acculturation-related processes, family characteristics, and asthma morbidity.

Results: The frequency of ED use due to asthma may be higher for children of caregivers born in Puerto Rico. Acculturative stress levels were higher for Puerto Rican born caregivers residing in the mainland U.S.

Conclusion: Asthma-related educational and intervention programs for Latino children and families should be tailored to consider the effects that the immigration and acculturation experience can have on asthma management. Specific family-based supports focused on decreasing stress related to the acculturation process, and increasing social and family support around the asthma treatment process may help to reduce asthma morbidity in Latino children.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Conceptual framework of pediatric asthma health disparities. Reproduced from Canino et al. (2006). Asthma disparities in the prevalence, morbidity, and treatment of Latino children. Social Science and Medicine, 63, 2926–2937. Elsevier Limited.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Mediation model: caregiver nativity, acculturative stress, and ED visits in previous 12 months.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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