Résumé
We evaluated life course influences on health by investigating potential differences in levels of frailty between middle-aged and older European immigrants born in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), immigrants born in high income countries (HICs), and their native-born European peers. Using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), we constructed a frailty index from 70 age-related health measures for 33,745 participants aged 50+ (mean. = 64.9. ±. 10.2. years; 54% women) in 14 European countries. Participants were grouped as native-born or as immigrants born in LMICs or in HICs, and further by current residence in Northern/Western or Southern/Eastern Europe. Seven percent of participants (n= 2369) were immigrants (mean = 64.4. ±. 10.2. years; 56% women; LMIC-born = 3.4%, HIC-born = 3.6%). In Northern/Western Europe, after adjustment for age, gender, and education, LMIC-born immigrants demonstrated higher frailty index scores (mean = 0.18, 95% confidence interval = 0.17-0.19) than both HIC-born immigrants (0.16, 0.16-0.17) and native-born participants (0.15, 0.14-0.15 both p<. 0.001). In Southern/Eastern Europe, frailty index scores did not differ between groups (p= 0.2). Time since migration explained significant variance in frailty index scores only in HIC-born immigrants to Southern/Eastern Europe (4.3%, p= 0.03). Despite differences in frailty, survival did not differ between groups (p= 0.2). LMIC-born immigrants demonstrated higher levels of frailty in Northern/Western Europe, but not Southern/Eastern Europe. Country of birth and current country of residence were each associated with frailty. Life course influences are demonstrable, but complex.
| Langue d'origine | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (de-à) | 63-68 |
| Nombre de pages | 6 |
| Journal | Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics |
| Volume | 58 |
| Numéro de publication | 1 |
| DOI | |
| Statut de publication | Published - janv. 2014 |
Note bibliographique
Funding Information:This paper uses data from SHARELIFE release 1, as of November 24th 2010 or SHARE release 2.5.0, as of May 24th 2011. The SHARE data collection has been primarily funded by the European Commission through the 5th framework program (project QLK6-CT-2001-00360 in the thematic program Quality of Life), through the 6th framework program (projects SHARE-I3, RII-CT-2006-062193, COMPARE, CIT5-CT-2005-028857, and SHARELIFE, CIT4-CT-2006-028812) and through the 7th framework program (SHARE-PREP, 211909 and SHARE-LEAP, 227822). Additional funding from the U.S. National Institute on Aging (U01 AG09740-13S2, P01 AG005842, P01 AG08291, P30 AG12815, Y1-AG-4553-01 and OGHA 04-064, IAG BSR06-11, R21 AG025169) as well as from various national sources is gratefully acknowledged (see www.share-project.org for a full list of funding institutions).
Funding Information:
This work was supported by an operating grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (MOP-209888) to KR, and by the Fountain Innovation Fund of the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Foundation. OT receives post-doctoral funding from the Dalhousie University Internal Medicine Research Fund. KR is supported by the Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation as the Kathryn Allen Weldon Professor of Alzheimer Research.
ASJC Scopus Subject Areas
- Health(social science)
- Ageing
- Gerontology
- Geriatrics and Gerontology