title: Immigration and health.
abstract: The purpose of this integrated review was to examine research on the relationships between immigration and health. The review was limited to studies of immigration into North America published since 1994. The results suggested that, although recent research has furthered the understanding of immigration and health, the multiple health effects of the various social and cultural processes immigrants undergo are still not clearly understood. In addition, research on acculturation has not clarified the positive or negative effects of acculturation on health. The incorporation of transnational perspectives and contemporary concepts and frameworks such as biculturalism, undocumentedness, and transitions was noted as a significant contribution from recent research. The results of this integrative review indicate that interdisciplinary research on immigration and health is moving in new directions. The reviewers provide suggestions for future research on health disparities as well as on possible health protective factors among diverse immigrant populations.
authors.affiliation: University of South Carolina, Columbia, USA.
authors.forename: DeAnne K Hilfinger
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Messias
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rubio
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D004282:Documentation; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005544:Forecasting; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006304:Health Status; D019456:Health Transition; D006801:Humans; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009656:North America; D015399:Nursing Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D012107:Research Design; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors