TY - JOUR
T1 - The Intersection of Immigrant and Environmental Health
T2 - A Scoping Review of Observational Population Exposure and Epidemiologic Studies
AU - Fong, Kelvin C.
AU - Heo, Seulkee
AU - Lim, Chris C.
AU - Kim, Honghyok
AU - Chan, Alisha
AU - Lee, Whanhee
AU - Stewart, Rory
AU - Choi, Hayon Michelle
AU - Son, Ji Young
AU - Bell, Michelle L.
N1 - Funding Information:
This publication was developed under assistance agreement RD835871 awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to Yale University (to M.L.B.). It has not been formally reviewed by the U.S. EPA. The views expressed in this document are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the agency. The U.S. EPA does not endorse any products or commercial services mentioned in this publication. Research reported in this publication was also supported by the National Institute On Minority Health And Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under award R01MD012769 (to M.L.B.). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, Public Health Services, US Dept of Health and Human Services. All rights reserved.
PY - 2022/9
Y1 - 2022/9
N2 - BACKGROUND: Transnational immigration has increased since the 1950s. In countries such as the United States, immigrants now account for >15% of the population. Although differences in health between immigrants and nonimmigrants are well documented, it is unclear how environmental exposures contribute to these disparities. OBJECTIVES: We summarized current knowledge comparing immigrants’ and nonimmigrants’ exposure to and health effects of environmental exposures. METHODS: We conducted a title and abstract review on articles identified through PubMed and selected those that assessed environmental exposures or health effects separately for immigrants and nonimmigrants. After a full text review, we extracted the main findings from eligible studies and categorized each article as exposure-focused, health-focused, or both. We also noted each study’s exposure of interest, study location, exposure and statistical methods, immigrant and comparison groups, and the intersecting socioeconomic characteristics controlled for. RESULTS: We conducted a title and abstract review on 3,705 articles, a full text review on 84, and extracted findings from 50 studies. There were 43 studies that investigated exposure (e.g., metals, organic compounds, fine particulate matter, hazardous air pollutants) disparities, but only 12 studies that assessed health disparities (e.g., mortality, select morbidities). Multiple studies reported higher exposures in immigrants compared with nonimmigrants. Among immigrants, studies sometimes observed exposure disparities by country of origin and time since immigration. Of the 50 studies, 43 were conducted in North America. DISCUSSION: The environmental health of immigrants remains an understudied area, especially outside of North America. Although most identified studies explored potential exposure disparities, few investigated subsequent differences in health effects. Future research should investigate environmental health disparities of immigrants, especially outside North America. Additional research gaps include the role of immigrants’ country of origin and time since immigration, as well as the combined effects of immigrant status with intersecting socioeconomic characteristics, such as race/ethnicity, income, and education attainment.
AB - BACKGROUND: Transnational immigration has increased since the 1950s. In countries such as the United States, immigrants now account for >15% of the population. Although differences in health between immigrants and nonimmigrants are well documented, it is unclear how environmental exposures contribute to these disparities. OBJECTIVES: We summarized current knowledge comparing immigrants’ and nonimmigrants’ exposure to and health effects of environmental exposures. METHODS: We conducted a title and abstract review on articles identified through PubMed and selected those that assessed environmental exposures or health effects separately for immigrants and nonimmigrants. After a full text review, we extracted the main findings from eligible studies and categorized each article as exposure-focused, health-focused, or both. We also noted each study’s exposure of interest, study location, exposure and statistical methods, immigrant and comparison groups, and the intersecting socioeconomic characteristics controlled for. RESULTS: We conducted a title and abstract review on 3,705 articles, a full text review on 84, and extracted findings from 50 studies. There were 43 studies that investigated exposure (e.g., metals, organic compounds, fine particulate matter, hazardous air pollutants) disparities, but only 12 studies that assessed health disparities (e.g., mortality, select morbidities). Multiple studies reported higher exposures in immigrants compared with nonimmigrants. Among immigrants, studies sometimes observed exposure disparities by country of origin and time since immigration. Of the 50 studies, 43 were conducted in North America. DISCUSSION: The environmental health of immigrants remains an understudied area, especially outside of North America. Although most identified studies explored potential exposure disparities, few investigated subsequent differences in health effects. Future research should investigate environmental health disparities of immigrants, especially outside North America. Additional research gaps include the role of immigrants’ country of origin and time since immigration, as well as the combined effects of immigrant status with intersecting socioeconomic characteristics, such as race/ethnicity, income, and education attainment.
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U2 - 10.1289/EHP9855
DO - 10.1289/EHP9855
M3 - Review article
C2 - 36053724
AN - SCOPUS:85137169490
SN - 0091-6765
VL - 130
JO - Environmental Health Perspectives
JF - Environmental Health Perspectives
IS - 9
M1 - 096001
ER -