Immigrants as crime victims: Experiences of personal nonfatal victimization.
BACKGROUND
Immigrants to the United States are disproportionately victims of homicide mortality in and outside the workplace. Examining their experiences with nonfatal victimization may be helpful in understanding immigrant vulnerability to violence.


METHODS
We compared the annual prevalence of nonfatal personal victimization experienced by immigrant and US-born adults by sociodemographics, employment, occupation, industry, smoking, alcohol and drug use using data from Wave 1 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.


RESULTS
The prevalence of victimization among immigrants was comparable to that among US-born adults [3.84% (95% CI: 3.18-4.63) vs. 4.10% (95% CI: 3.77-4.44)]. Lower percentages of victimization experienced by immigrants were seen among the unmarried, those age 30-44 years, and among residents of central city areas as compared to those groups among the US-born. For immigrants entering the US as youth, the victimization prevalence declines with greater years of residency in US. Multivariate logistic regression models suggest that, the odds of victimization was significantly associated with age, family income, marital status, central city residency, smoking, and drug use while employment status was not a significant factor. Immigrant workers with farming/forestry occupations might face a higher risk of being victims of violence than their US-born counterparts.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of victimization among immigrants was comparable to that among US-born adults. Employment status and industry/occupation overall were not significant risk factors for becoming victims of violence.
Wheeler
Krista
K
Center for Injury Research and Policy, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio 43205, USA.
Zhao
Weiyan
W
Kelleher
Kelly
K
Stallones
Lorann
L
Xiang
Huiyun
H
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009790:Occupations / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult