The variation in the health status of immigrants and Italians during the global crisis and the role of socioeconomic factors

BACKGROUND: The effects of the recent global economic and financial crisis especially affected the most vulnerable social groups. Objective of the study was to investigate variation of self-perceived health status in Italians and immigrants during the economic global crisis, focusing on demographic and socioeconomic factors. METHODS: Through a cross-sectional design we analyzed the national sample of multipurpose surveys “Health conditions and use of health services” (2005 and 2013) conducted by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT). Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores, derived from SF-12 questionnaire, were assumed as study outcome, dichotomizing variables distribution at 1(st) quartile. Prevalence rate ratios (PRR) were estimated through log-binomial regression models, stratified by citizenship and gender, evaluating the association between PCS and MCS with surveys’ year, adjusting for age, educational level, employment status, self-perceived economic resources, smoking habits, body mass index. RESULTS: From 2005 to 2013 the proportion of people not employed or reporting scarce/insufficient economic resources increased, especially among men, in particular immigrants. Compared with 2005 we observed in 2013 among Italians a significant lower probability of worse PCS (PRR = 0.96 both for males and females), while no differences were observed among immigrants; a higher probability of worse MCS was observed, particularly among men (Italians: PRR = 1.26;95%CI:1.22–1.29; immigrants: PRR = 1.19;95%CI:1.03–1.38). Self-perceived scarce/insufficient economic resources were strongly and significantly associated with worse PCS and MCS for all subgroups. Lower educational level was strongly associated with worse PCS in Italians and slightly associated with worse MCS for all subgroups. Being not employed was associated with worse health status, especially mental health among men. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the hypothesis that economic global crisis could have negatively affected health status, particularly mental health, of Italians and immigrants. Furthermore, results suggest socioeconomic inequalities increase, in economic resources availability dimension. In a context of public health resources’ limitation due to financial crisis, policy decision makers and health service managers must face the challenge of equity in health.