Are immigrants at risk of heart disease in Australia? A systematic review.
We systematically reviewed the peer-reviewed literature to establish the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among immigrants in Australia and whether being an immigrant is a CVD risk factor. Of 23 studies identified, 12 were included. Higher prevalence of CVD was found among Middle Eastern, South Asian and some European immigrants. Higher prevalence of CVD risk factors was found among Middle Eastern and Southern European immigrants. Higher alcohol consumption was found among immigrants from New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Smoking and physical inactivity were highly prevalent among most immigrants.
School of Population Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3053, Australia. j.dassanayake@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au
Jayantha
J
Dassanayake
Shyamali C
SC
Dharmage
Lyle
L
Gurrin
Vijaya
V
Sundararajan
Warren R
WR
Payne
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D055815:Young Adult