Residence In Host Country Research Articles

“Everybody’s doing it”: Exploring the consequences of intergroup contact norms

Newcomers to a country can strongly benefit from having positive intergroup contact with host country residents. Often, however, such contact does not occur. Norms surrounding intergroup contact between newcomers and host country residents were explored over three studies. Correlational relationships among positive perceived contact norms, positive attitudes, and behavioural intentions supporting contact were demonstrated over multiple studies. Further, an experimental manipulation indicating higher (vs. lower and control) contact between host country residents and newcomers predicted behavioural intentions toward future intergroup contact through heightened intergroup contact norms and more positive attitudes toward newcomers. Implications of using norms as a means to impact intergroup relations are discussed.

Involvement, social impacts and subjective well-being: Brazilians’ experiences from Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games

ABSTRACT As primary funders of sport mega-events, host country residents deserve to reap benefits. Subjective well-being (SWB) can be one such positive outcome. Research analyzing the relationship between sport events and SWB is limited, and results are ambiguous. This study examines the effects of social impact experiences from the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games (Rio 2016) on SWB of host country residents, considering attitudinal involvement with the event. Using a cohort longitudinal design, data were collected during (n = 402) and six months after (n = 401) the event. Attitudinal involvement was significantly related to most factors of social impact experiences during, but not after Rio 2016. Social impact experiences were low during and even lower after Rio 2016, not contributing significantly to SWB of Brazilians. SWB was high during and after Rio 2016, but not significantly different between these moments. Rio 2016 did not affect the SWB of residents.

Personal Contact with Refugees is Key to Welcoming Them: An Analysis of Politicians' and Citizens' Attitudes Towards Refugee Integration

Politicians are influential both in directing policies about refugees and in framing public discourse about them. However, unlike other host country residents, politicians' attitudes towards refugees and integration are remarkably understudied. We therefore examine similarities and differences between politicians' attitudes towards refugee integration and those held by citizens. Based on the stereotype content model, we expect that political ideology informs stereotypes about refugees, which subsequently shape attitudes towards refugee integration. Based on the Contact Hypothesis, we further argue that personal contact with refugees reduces negative stereotypes about them—in particular for those endorsing a right‐wing ideology. We draw on data collected via two surveys with 905 politicians and 8013 citizens in the Netherlands to show that (1) unlike those with a left‐wing orientation, residents (i.e., both politicians and citizens) with a right‐wing orientation hold more negative stereotypes about refugees, which in turn relate to more negative attitudes towards refugee integration; (2) personal contact with refugees is associated with less negative stereotypes among residents; and (3) politicians, compared to citizens, report less negative stereotypes and more positive attitudes towards refugee integration. The practical implication of fostering residents' contact with refugees as well as the implications for future research are discussed.

Perceived Discrimination, Psychological Distress and Cardiovascular Risk in Migrants in Spain.

The aim of the present study is to determine the effect of discrimination and psychological distress on the cardiovascular health of immigrants, as well as to analyse potential differences based on age, gender, length of residence in host country and geographic origin. The sample was formed by 1714 immigrants from Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America. Of the sample, 48.7% were men and 51.3% were women. Most relevant results show that discrimination (t = 4.27; p = 0.000) and psychological distress (t = 4.35; p = 0.000) experienced by immigrants predict their cardiovascular risk. Furthermore, psychological distress mediates the relation between discrimination and risk (t = 4.03; p = 0.000). Significant differences between men and women were found, as well as differences based on ethnicity, although to a lesser extent. Age affects the relation between discrimination, psychological distress and arterial hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. Results are notably relevant for the design of preventive health programmes for immigrants and intervention strategies in order to prevent diseases that may imply cardiovascular risks and seriously affect immigrants’ health.

Olympic Games-Related Values and Host Country Residents’ Pre-event Evaluations in the Run-Up to the 2016 Olympic Games

The goal of this study is to examine the relationship between perceived values in relation to the Olympic Games and individuals’ attitudes toward, and intended support of hosting the Olympic Games in their home country, depending on the levels of perceived corruption within the International Olympic Committee (IOC). A representative sample from Brazil (n = 1,145) was surveyed in 2015 and gave their pre-event evaluations of hosting the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The results showed that the value dimension ‘achievement in competition’ (a self-centered value dimension) reduced favorable evaluations, particularly when the IOC was perceived as corrupt. In contrast, ‘appreciation of diversity’ and ‘friendly relations with others’ (two other-centered value dimensions) increased favorable evaluations, independent of the levels of perceived corruption of the IOC. Therefore, perceived corruption within the IOC is an important moderator of the relationship between ‘achievement in competition’ and individuals’ attitudes toward the Olympic Games and their intended support. The findings of the study have important implications for the Olympic Movement and Olympic education programs. It is recommended that stakeholders promote other-centered value perceptions and de-emphasize self-centered value perceptions, as well as lower people’s perception of the IOC as a corrupt institution.

Multimorbidity and immigrant status: associations with area of origin and length of residence in host country.

Multimorbidity is a growing phenomenon in primary care, and knowledge of the influence of social determinants on its evolution is vital. The aim of this study was to understand the relationship between multimorbidity and immigration, taking into account length of residence in the host country and area of origin of the immigrant population. Cross-sectional retrospective study of all adult patients registered within the public health service of Aragon, Spain (N = 1092279; 144238 were foreign-born), based on data from the EpiChron Cohort. Age-standardized prevalence rates of multimorbidity were calculated. Different models of binary logistic regressions were conducted to study the association between multimorbidity, immigrant status and length of residence in the host country. The risk of multimorbidity in foreign-borns was lower than that of native-borns [odds ratio (OR): 0.54, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.53-0.55]. The probability of experiencing multimorbidity was lowest for Asians (OR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.31-0.37) and Eastern Europeans (OR: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.40-0.43), and highest for Latin Americans (OR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.68-0.72). Foreign-born immigrants residing in Aragon for ≥5 years had a higher multimorbidity risk than those residing for <5 years (OR: 2.3, 95% CI: 2.2-2.4). Prevalence of multimorbidity is lower among foreign-borns as compared with native-borns, but increases rapidly with length of residence in the host country. However, the progressive development of multimorbidity among immigrants varies widely depending on area of origin. These findings provide important insight into the health care needs of specific population groups and may help minimize the negative impact of multimorbidity among the most vulnerable groups.

Rapid Spread of Zika Virus in The Americas--Implications for Public Health Preparedness for Mass Gatherings at the 2016 Brazil Olympic Games.

Mass gatherings at major international sporting events put millions of international travelers and local host-country residents at risk of acquiring infectious diseases, including locally endemic infectious diseases. The mosquito-borne Zika virus (ZIKV) has recently aroused global attention due to its rapid spread since its first detection in May 2015 in Brazil to 22 other countries and other territories in the Americas. The ZIKV outbreak in Brazil, has also been associated with a significant rise in the number of babies born with microcephaly and neurological disorders, and has been declared a 'Global Emergency by the World Health Organization. This explosive spread of ZIKV in Brazil poses challenges for public health preparedness and surveillance for the Olympics and Paralympics which are due to be held in Rio De Janeiro in August, 2016. We review the epidemiology and clinical features of the current ZIKV outbreak in Brazil, highlight knowledge gaps, and review the public health implications of the current ZIKV outbreak in the Americas. We highlight the urgent need for a coordinated collaborative response for prevention and spread of infectious diseases with epidemic potential at mass gatherings events.

Comparison of Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome Between Korean Emigrants and Host Country Residents in Japan and China-The Korean Emigrant Study

OBJECTIVESThis study aims to compare the prevalence of metabolic syndrome between Korean emigrants (KEs) and their host country residents in Japan and China.METHODSThe Korean Emigrant Study (KES) is a cohort study initiated in 2005 to elucidate the effect of genetic susceptibility and environmental change on hypertension, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Equal numbers of KEs and host country residents, aged 30 or over, were recruited from three regions; Kobe-Osaka in Japan (total number=965), Yanbian in China (n=1,019), and Changchun in China (n=949).RESULTSThe age-adjusted prevalences of metabolic syndrome among KEs in Kobe-Osaka were significantly higher than those among Japanese (in men 24.0% vs. 15.6%, p=0.04, in women 8.4% vs. 2.7%, p=0.01), while the age-adjusted prevalences among KEs in Changchun were similar to those among Chinese (in men 11.7% vs. 16.1%, p=0.37, in women 28.3% vs. 30.1%, p=0.91). The age-adjusted prevalences were generally higher in Yanbian than other regions, and KEs had higher prevalence than Chinese in men but not in women (in men 37.9% vs. 28.3%, p=0.03, women 46.0% vs. 50.6%, p=0.44). The components with significant ethnic differences in prevalence were high blood pressure and abdominal obesity in Japan, and triglyceride in China. The most influential component in diagnosing metabolic syndrome was abdominal obesity in men and triglyceride in women.CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of metabolic syndrome was higher in KEs than in host country residents in Japan but not in China. Abdominal obesity and triglyceride are both discriminating and influential components in metabolic syndrome.