Study highlights worsening health disparities for immigrants in Spain

A new study in Preventive Medicine highlights immigration status as an important social determinant of health in Spain.

For the study, a team of researchers led by CUNY SPH Distinguished Professor Luisa N. Borrell set out to examine inequalities in self-rated health between immigrant and native populations in Spain in 2014 and 2020, and whether these inequalities varied by sex/gender and social support.

Using data from the European Health Interview Survey in Spain for years 2014 and 2020, Borrell and colleagues from the University of Alcala and the University of Basque Country, Spain, examined self-rated health among adults aged 18 years or older, and considered immigrant status and length of stay in Spain as the main exposure.

In 2014, immigrants residing in Spain for 6-15 years had a 1.34 times higher probability of rating their health as bad/poor than Spanish natives. In 2020, this probability increased to 1.48 times higher (95% CI: 1.28, 1.75) for the same group. No significant differences were found in the associations between immigrant status/length of stay and self-rated health when considering sex/gender or social support in either survey year

Most immigrants came from Latin America (about 49%), followed by Africa (24%), Europe (21%), and Asia (6%).

The findings highlight persistent and potentially worsening health inequalities between immigrants and natives in Spain over time

“These insights suggest a need for targeted interventions and policies to address health inequalities faced by immigrant populations in Spain, particularly those who have been in the country for several years,” says Borrell.