title: [Public hospital utilization by the foreign population in Aragon, Spain (2004-2007)].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe hospitalization rates and hospital morbidity among the foreign population residing in Aragon (Spain) by country of birth, between 2004 and 2007, and to compare these rates with those in the autochthonous population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective longitudinal study was carried out of hospital discharges of the foreign population in public hospitals in Aragon. Utilization rates were estimated by sex, age, country of birth and main diagnosis. Poisson regression was used to estimate the utilization rate ratios and their 95% confidence intervals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hospitalization rates were lower in the foreign population (adjusted RR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.51-0.56), except in women aged between 15 and 24 years (RR: 2.9; 95% CI: 2.8-3.0) and among those born in the Maghreb (RR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.7; 1.9), sub-Saharan Africa (RR: 2.0; 95% CI: 1.9-2.1) and Asia (RR=1.4; 95% CI: 1.3-1.6). When hospital discharges related to obstetrics and gynecology were excluded, only women born in sub-Saharan Africa continued to have adjusted RR greater than 1. These women had higher hospitalization rates in groups of infectious and parasitic diseases (RR: 2.5) and blood and blood-forming organs (RR: 2.8).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Aragon (Spain), public hospital utilization is lower in foreigners than in the autochthonous population. The diseases treated varied by country of birth. The diseases prevalent in these countries, together with hereditary diseases, can increase hospital utilization rates.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud, Zaragoza, España; Unidad Docente de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública de Aragón, Zaragoza, España.
authors.forename: Wafa
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ben Cheikh
authors.forename: José María
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Abad
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Arribas
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Andrés
authors.forename: María José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rabanaque
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000208:ethnology; D000352:Africa, Northern / Q000208:ethnology; D000368:Aged; D000569:Americas / Q000208:ethnology; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D044362:Australasia / Q000208:ethnology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005061:Europe, Eastern / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D030342:Genetic Diseases, Inborn / Q000208:ethnology; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000208:ethnology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007239:Infections / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain; D055815:Young Adult