Acculturation and cardiovascular reactivity of second-generation Turkish migrants in Germany.
OBJECTIVE
Previous studies have shown that migration and acculturation lead to higher blood pressures and a higher prevalence of cardiovascular diseases. Heightened cardiovascular reactivity is considered as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine cardiovascular reactivity in young and healthy second-generation Turkish migrants to Germany.


METHODS
Forty-one Turkish and 20 German male students worked on a mental arithmetic task for 6 min and underwent the cold pressor test for 90 s. Heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were taken in intervals of 2 min at baseline and during task periods. Stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO), preejection period (PEP), and total peripheral resistance (TPR) were registered continuously by impedance cardiography. The Turkish volunteers were divided into weak and advanced acculturated migrants based on self-ratings given in a questionnaire.


RESULTS
Advanced acculturated Turkish students showed greater HR and CO increases and greater PEP and TPR decreases to the mental arithmetic task than Germans or weak acculturated Turkish students. No group differences were found for the cold pressor test.


CONCLUSIONS
Migrants' acculturation is associated with an enhanced beta-adrenergic activation pattern of the sympathetic nervous system that might put them at greater risk with regards to essential hypertension and coronary heart disease.
Bongard
Stephan
S
Institut für Psychologie, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Postfech 11 19 32, Frankfurt/Main D-60054, Germany. bongard@psych.uni-frankfurt.de
Pogge
Sandra F
SF
Arslaner
Halime
H
Rohrmann
Sonja
S
Hodapp
Volker
V
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology*; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology; D014421:Turkey / Q000208:ethnology