title: Heterogeneous patterns of health status among immigrants in Spain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  (1) To analyse differences in the self-perceived health and mental health status between the Spanish population and immigrants from the seven leading countries in terms of number of immigrants; (2) to examine whether differences are accounted for by socio-economic characteristics, and (3) to determine whether the patterns of associations differ by gender.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data come from the 2006 Spanish National Health Survey. The sample was composed of all 20-64 year old Spaniards and immigrants from the seven countries with most immigrants in Spain (Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Romania and Morocco) [n=20,731].
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both sexes, people from Bolivia had poorer health outcomes, above all Bolivian males. Conversely, people from Argentina and Colombia had the best health outcomes. For the rest of the countries varied results depending on gender, country and health indicator were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences in health status between people born in Spain and foreign-born people depend on relationships between country of birth, characteristics of the migration process, gender, ethnicity and the health outcome analyzed.
authors.affiliation: Agència de Salut Pública, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Nazmy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Villarroel
authors.forename: Lucía
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Artazcoz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001118:Argentina / Q000208:ethnology; D001838:Bolivia / Q000208:ethnology; D003105:Colombia / Q000208:ethnology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004484:Ecuador / Q000208:ethnology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009018:Morocco / Q000208:ethnology; D010568:Peru / Q000208:ethnology; D012383:Romania / Q000208:ethnology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult