health of immigrants in italy

Francesca Romana Armini

MGD 190

AIDS, leprosy, syphilis tuberculosis, nits…

Italian newspapers usually tax immigrants to be bacteriological bombs who undermine Italian population’s health.

Let’s take a look at the Italian situation and immigrants conditions…

Risks caused by extreme poverty:

- Lack of adequate nutrition- Lack of appropriate working conditions and regulation

Psychological disorders:

- Lack of appropriate psychological support- Separation from original country, traditions, culture

Difficult access to health care services and facilities:-

- Legal and bureaucratic obstacles

Risks for immigrants’ health

Data on immigrants’ access to healthcare

Hospitalization rates

Ricoveri ordinari - uomini

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

18-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65 +

Classi d'età (anni)

Tas

si p

er 1

.000

Pfpm uomini Residenti uomini

Men hospitalizations

Age

Rates

Hospitalization rates

Day-hospital - uomini

0

25

50

75

100

125

150

18-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65 +

Classi d'età (anni)

Tas

si p

er 1

.000

Pfpm uomini Residenti uomini

Day hospital - Men

Age

Hospitalization rates

Ricoveri ordinari - donne

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

18-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65 +

Classi d'età (anni)

Tas

si p

er 1

.000

Pfpm donne Residenti donne

Women hospitalization

Age

Fonte: Elaborazioni Istat su dati del Ministero della Salute

Hospitalization rates

Day-hospital - donne

0

25

50

75

100

125

150

18-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65 +

Classi d'età (anni)

Tas

si p

er 1

.000

Pfpm donne Residenti donne

Day hospital women

Age

Immigrants and

Infectious diseasesIn

Italy

0

50

100

150

200

250

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Anni

Nu

me

ro d

i cas

i

Casi maschi Casi femmine

- In Italy, 4000 AIDS cases among immigrants between 1992 and 2006

AIDS cases among immigrants (>18 years old)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Anni

Tass

i di i

ncid

enza

(x 1

00.0

00)

Tassi maschi Tassi femmine

AIDS incidence depending on gender

HIV incidence on immigrants(difference between Italians and immigrants)

- In Italy, 32% of 31.000 tubercolosis cases refer to immigrants Year Immigrants Total Immigrants %

1999 961 4.429 21,7

2000 1.201 4.759 25,2

2001 1.391 4.505 30,9

2002 1.293 4.212 30,7

2003 1.459 4.518 32,3

2004 1.664 4.220 39,4

2005 1.809 4.137 43,7

TB cases in Italy

10

30

50

70

90

110

130

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

tass

o di

inci

denz

a x

100.

000

stranieri regolari stranieri regolari+stima irregolari

TB cases among immigrants

Pregnancies and immigrants

Indicators of access to health care during pregnancies

ItaliansRegular

immigrants

Information 69% 88%

Italians

63%

Irregular immigrants

ImmigrantsResiding in Italy

1996 – ISS surveys 2005 – Istat surveys

34% ---

Abortions among immigrants

Percentages of voluntary abortions among immigrant women (1980 – 2006)

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

19801981

19821983

19841985

19861987

19881989

19901991

19921993

19941995

19961997

19981999

20002001

20022003

20042005

2006

Abortion rates in Italy according to age and nationality

18-24

25-29

30-34

35-39

40-44

45-49

11,2

10,4

9,2

7,6

3,9

0,4

7,8

56,1

48,0

39,3

26,4

10,5

0,7

34,0

Age Nationality

italian Foreign

Abortions according to immigrants nationality

1995

EUROPA

- East Europe- Other UE countries

AFRICA 2.297

AMERICA

ASIA 1.419

OCeania 18

TOTALE 8.802

2.638659

- North- South

1181.653

%

6.232

3.928

14

36.323

18.595942

1106.548

26,1

16,1

0,2

30,07,5

1,318,8

17,2

10,8

0,1

51,22,6

0,218,0

NationalityN

2004

%N

100,0100,0

Although this is a really short overview of the relationship between immigrants and healthcare in Italy, the following could be possible solutions to meet immigrants’needs and limit risks linked to their health condition:

-It is necessary to promote actions aimed at reducing diseases among immigrants (through campaigns, trainings, information);

-A network of public healthcare services should specifically address immigrants and provide them with health care information and services

-Information campaigns and Italian population availability should be developed in order to receive immigrants and avoid their discrimination.

How to solve the problems