Is Duration of Residence a Proxy for Acculturation? The Case of Health Risk Behaviors Among International Immigrants

Overview

Journal Scand J Public Health

Publisher Sage Publications

Specialty Public Health

Date 2023 Sep 19

PMID 37723980

Authors

Sol P Juarez

Helena Honkaniemi

Nina-Katri Gustafsson

Lisa Berg

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Aims: Among international immigrants, health changes by duration of residence are commonly interpreted as an expression of acculturation to the receiving country context. This study compares changes in immigrants' health risk behaviors by duration of residence to changes by acculturation levels, in order to assess whether duration of residence can be regarded as a proxy for acculturation.

Methods: Using data from a previous systematic review, we identified 17 quantitative studies examining changes in alcohol, tobacco and drug use, physical inactivity, and diet by both duration of residence and acculturation level in the same population. We compared the directionality and consistency of these associations through tabulation and vote counting.

Results: The majority of studies reported no or inconsistent changes in health risk behaviors by duration of residence versus by acculturation, including with opposite directionality. Four studies reported significant estimates with consistent directionality, while five reported consistent, non-significant estimates.

Conclusions: .

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