title: [Migrations in Latin American countries. Characteristics of the pediatric population].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Migration is a growing phenomenon among Latin American countries (LAC) as well as others; however, scarce information is available studying its impact on paediatric groups and its association with socioeconomic variables.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the association among socioeconomic variables and the immigration rate of paediatric population in LAC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Official rates of migration of LAC were obtained from: International Organization for Migration, Pan American Health Organization, and United Nations Development Programme. Demographic and socioeconomic information was also obtained for: gross domestic product (GDP), human development index (HDI), Gini coefficient of inequality (GC), alphabetization rate for adults (AA), net migration rate (NMR), and immigration of children<15 years (IM15). Description, linear correlations and analysis of differences between groups of countries were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The NMR was positive for Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Chile and Argentina. No association among NMR and GDP, HDI, GC, AA was found. A correlation of IM15 was found with: GC (r=0.668, P=.01), with GDP (r=-0.720; P=.01), AA (r=-0.755; P=.01) and with HDI (r=-0.799; P=.01). Rate of IM15 was lower in LA countries with advanced/medium development (GDP>median) vs those with low development (Fisher, P<.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a direct inverse association between GDP per capita, HDI, AA and GC and the proportion of each country IN15. We did not observe an association between NMR and HDI, AA, and GC. The health impact of these migrations should be analysed.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Pediatría y Cirugía Infantil, Campus Centro, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile. Electronic address: rodrigovasquez@med.uchile.cl.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vásquez-De Kartzow
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Pediatría y Cirugía Infantil, Campus Centro, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castillo-Durán
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos (INTA), Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lera M
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D019049:Developed Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D059066:Gross Domestic Product / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: América Latina; Children; Coeficiente de Gini; Gini coefficient; Human development index; Latin America; Migraciones; Migration; Net migration rate; Niños; Tasa neta de migración; Índice de desarrollo humano