Large Immigrant Population Research Articles

Clinical Impact of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Testing at a US Children's Hospital.

Children who develop malaria after returning to a setting in which the disease is not endemic are at high risk for critical delays in diagnosis and initiation of antimalarial therapy. We assessed the clinical impact of the implementation of malaria rapid diagnostic testing (RDT) on the management of children with malaria at an urban US children's hospital that serves a large immigrant population. This was a retrospective cohort study of all children diagnosed with laboratory-confirmed malaria at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) between 2000 and 2014. RDT using a US Food and Drug Administration-approved immunochromatographic assay was introduced at CHOP on August 1, 2007. We compared clinical management and outcomes of patients with malaria diagnosed before and after RDT introduction. We analyzed 82 pediatric malaria cases (32 before and 50 after RDT implementation). The majority of these patients had traveled to West Africa (91.5%) and were infected with Plasmodium falciparum (80.5%). The mean time to a positive result decreased from 10.4 to 0.9 hours (P < .001) after the introduction of RDT for patients with P falciparum. The mean time to antimalarial therapy decreased from 13.1 to 6.9 hours (P =; .023) in hospitalized patients. We found no significant reduction in the mean number of clinical signs of severe malaria between 0 and 48 hours of hospitalization and no difference in the need for exchange transfusion, time to resolution of parasitemia, or length of hospital stay. Implementation of RDT for malaria was associated with shorter times to malaria diagnosis and initiation of antimalarial therapy. The results of this study support RDT in the optimal management of patients with malaria who present in settings in which the disease is not endemic.

Prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis B virus infection in Middle-Limburg Belgium, year 2017: Importance of migration.

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) prevalence study performed in 2003 in Belgium is believed to be underestimating HBV prevalence due to underrepresentation of the non-Belgian population. Therefore, we assessed the prevalence and risk factors of HBV infection in a multi-ethnic region situated in Middle-Limburg Belgium, in 2017. Between May and November 2017, blood samples and questionnaires were taken from patients who presented at the emergency department of a large educational hospital. Blood samples were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B core antibodies (anti-HBc). A sample size of 1000 persons was required to obtain a representative sample of the general Middle-Limburg population. Of the 1131 patients screened, the overall HBsAg prevalence was 0.97% with differences between Belgians (0.67%) and first-generation-migrants (2.55%), (P = 0.015). Five (45.5%) of 11 HBsAg-positive individuals were not aware of their HBV status. All five (100%) newly diagnosed HBsAg-positive patients had further clinical evaluation and all had a normal level of alanine aminotransferase (ALT). The prevalence of anti-HBc was 8.4%, and was significantly associated with age-gender-ethnicity interaction, presence of HBV-infected household member, hepatitis C virus infection, men who have sex with men, and hemodialysis. In this area with large immigrant populations, we found a higher prevalence of HBV infection compared with the nationwide study of 2003. National HBV screening for first-generation migrants is needed as this high-risk group will go unnoticed due to the possible incorrect interpretation of normal ALT values.

Tenuous belonging: diversity, power, and identity in the U.S. Southwest

ABSTRACT Discrimination among social groups is an integral feature of contemporary immigration and citizenship policies, often reflecting historical trajectories of inclusion and exclusion produced by nation-building over time. This comparative historical study of the contentious incorporation of Arizona and New Mexico captures the legacies of racial hierarchy and the ways membership and identity are shaped by the intersection of race, language, and class. When the U.S. forcibly subsumed Arizona and New Mexico during the Mexican-American War, these territories vexed federal officials because their large Spanish-speaking populations of Mexican descent conflicted with dominant conceptions immigrant rights, and they present competing nativist and pluralistic policy responses to undocumented immigrants and Latino residents. This article tackles the question of why two U.S. states that share much in common – a border with each other and with Mexico, nearly identical geography and historical birth as members of the U.S., and large Latino and immigrant populations – diverged in the worlds they created for diverse ethnic and racial groups including immigrants. We find that the development of two distinct racial regimes in the American Southwest were profoundly shaped by the distribution of group power and distinct claims to national belonging.

Yesterday they marched, today they mobilised the vote: a developmental model for civic leadership among the children of immigrants

ABSTRACTThis article proposes a developmental model for the political incorporation of the adolescent and young adult children of immigrants. We assert that key politicising agents – including parents, educational institutions, civic associations, and social media – play significant roles in mediating the political incorporation of 1.5- and second-generation youth. These politicising agents help determine if the children of immigrants will exhibit depressed engagement, participate in ways similar to their peers from non-immigrant families, or exercise civic leadership roles. In particular, we highlight the recent role of social movement-affiliated civic associations that have provided this young population with an intensive civics education and formative opportunities for civic action. We also note how intersectional frameworks adopted by broader millennial movements align with the campaigns of, as well as the political socialisation that occurs within, some of these organisations. To advance our argument, we draw on data from California, the state with the largest immigrant population and home to a vibrant social movement sector.

Racial Separation at Home and Work: Segregation in Residential and Workplace Settings

Racial segregation has long characterized urban life in the U.S., with research consistently showing that minority groups occupy different social spaces than whites. While past scholarship has focused largely on residential contexts, a considerable portion of individuals’ days is spent outside of the home and existing research misses the potential for cross-group contact in non-residential contexts. In this paper, we assess the levels and patterns of segregation in the environments where people spend their workday, for white, black, Hispanic, and Asian workers. Using commuting data from the Census Transportation Planning Package, we construct measures of racial composition in “workhoods” and compare metropolitan-level segregation in places of work and home. Results indicate that workhood segregation is substantially lower than residential segregation. Black-white segregation in work settings is, for example, half the level of black-white segregation in residential settings. Multivariate analyses also reveal that workhood segregation, for all groups, is higher in metropolitan areas with greater residential segregation. For Hispanic workers, areas with larger immigrant populations have higher workhood segregation, and for blacks, workhood segregation is lower in metropolitan areas with large military populations. Our findings also consistently show that black and Hispanic workhood segregation is lower in areas where minority groups are more occupationally disadvantaged.

Mexican Immigrants, the Gary-Alerding Settlement House, and the Limits of Catholic Americanization in Gary, Indiana, 1919–1928

Mexican immigrants first came to Gary, Indiana in large numbers during the 1919 steel strike. The United States Steel Corporation (U.S. Steel) continued to recruit Mexicans as workers in the years that followed and Mexicans soon became Gary's largest immigrant population. During the 1920s, the high number of immigrant steelworkers, the recent steel strike, and the Red Scare impelled Gary's native-born residents to fund Americanization programs. To this end, the Fort Wayne Diocese assigned Father Jean Baptiste De Ville to build a Catholic settlement house that would spearhead these post-war Americanization efforts. He partnered with U.S. Steel in founding the Gary-Alerding settlement house to fight communism among Catholic immigrant steelworkers through a Catholic Americanization strategy designed to instill obedience to centralized religious authority and support industrial capitalism. Mexican immigrant steelworkers did not respond well to De Ville's effort to enforce political and religious conformity, having developed a popular religiosity that did not rely on engaging the institutional Church via clergy or parish-based worship. Unable to recognize the limitations of his strategy toward the Mexican population, De Ville, by the end of the decade, viewed the Americanization efforts as a failure.

Adult mortality among second-generation immigrants in France: Results from a nationally representative record linkage study

BACKGROUNDFrance has a large population of second-generation immigrants (i.e., native-born children of immigrants) who are known to experience important socioeconomic disparities by country of origin. The extent to which they also experience disparities in mortality, however, has not been previously examined.METHODSWe used a nationally representative sample of individuals 18 to 64 years old in 1999 with mortality follow-up via linked death records until 2010. We compared mortality levels for second-generation immigrants with their first-generation counterparts and with the reference (neither first- nor second-generation) population using mortality hazard ratios as well as probabilities of dying between age 18 and 65. We also adjusted hazard ratios using educational attainment reported at baseline.RESULTSWe found a large amount of excess mortality among second-generation males of North African origin compared to the reference population with no migrant background. This excess mortality was not present among second-generation males of southern European origin, for whom we instead found a mortality advantage, nor among North African–origin males of the first-generation. This excess mortality remained large and significant after adjusting for educational attainment.CONTRIBUTIONIn these first estimates of mortality among second-generation immigrants in France, males of North African origin stood out as a subgroup experiencing a large amount of excess mortality. This finding adds a public health dimension to the various disadvantages already documented for this subgroup. Overall, our results highlight the importance of second-generation status as a significant and previously unknown source of health disparity in France.

Ebola virus: A global public health menace: A narrative review.

Ebola virus disease (EVD), a fatal viral hemorrhagic illness, is due to infection with the Ebola virus of the Filoviridae family. The disease has evolved as a global public health menace due to a large immigrant population. Initially, the patients present with nonspecific influenza-like symptoms and eventually terminate into shock and multiorgan failure. There exists no specific treatment protocol for EVD and only supportive and symptomatic therapy is the line of treatment. This review article provides a detailed overview of the Ebola virus; it's clinical and oral manifestations, diagnostic aids, differential diagnosis, preventive aspects, and management protocol.

The Challenges Facing the Management of Immigration in Tanzania and Zambia: A case of Tunduma and Nakonde

Immigration is a global development issue impacting on the development trajectories of all countries. Tanzania, for instance, has seen large numbers of illegal immigrants from Burundi, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Somalia who flee their countries because of political unrest and economic difficulties. Consequently, illegal immigration has been increasing from time to time in Tanzania. This study examined the challenges facing the management of immigration in Tanzania. Specifically, the paper used both qualitative and quantitative approaches to explore the existence and flow of illegal immigrants, causes and the challenges facing the management of illegal immigration in Tanzania and Zambia. The study found the existence of illegal immigration between Zambia and Tanzania. The patterns of flow of illegal immigrants are mainly of Zambia to Tanzania. Such pattern is caused by sharing common and related languages, colonial legacies and trade. The challenges to controlling of illegal immigration include inadequate immigration personnel and immigration control equipment, poor cooperation between coercive apparatus and the civilians and the influx of large population of immigrants. The study concludes that addressing illegal immigration requires collaboration and cooperation between Tanzania and Zambia coercive apparatus and integrating the citizens who are living along the borders.

A social determinants framework identifying state-level immigrant policies and their influence on health

BackgroundMany conceptual frameworks that touch on immigration and health have been published over the past several years. Most discuss broad social trends or specific immigrant policies, but few address how the policy environment affects the context of settlement and incorporation. Research on the social determinants of health shows how policies across multiple sectors have an impact on health status and health services, but has not yet identified the policies most important for immigrants. Understanding the range and content of state-level policies that impact immigrant populations can focus health in all policies initiatives as well as contextualize future research on immigrant health. MethodsOur framework identifies state-level policies across five different domains that impact the health of immigrants and that vary across states, especially for those without legal status. Our scan shows that immigrants are exposed to different contexts, ranging from relatively inclusive to highly exclusive; a number of states have mixed trends that are more inclusive in some areas, but exclusive in others. Finally, we examine how the relative inclusiveness of state policies are associated with state-level demographic and political characteristics. ResultsContrary to the image that exclusive policies are a reaction to large immigrant populations that may compete for jobs and cultural space, we find that the higher the proportion of foreign born and Hispanics in the state, the more inclusive the set of policies; while the higher the proportion of Republican voters, the less inclusive. ConclusionsVariation across immigrant policies is much larger than the variation in state demographic and political characteristics, suggesting that state-level policies need to be included as a possible independent, contextual effect, when assessing immigrant health outcomes. This policy framework can be particularly useful in bridging our understanding of how large macro processes are connected to the daily lives and health of immigrants.

An apple a day: Protective associations between nutrition and the mental health of immigrants in Canada.

Mental illness represents a major public health burden among Canada's large immigrant population. A burgeoning cross-sectional, longitudinal, and experimental evidence base implicates nutrition in mental health. Healthier diets (e.g.,those rich in certain micro-nutrients) may benefit cognitive, social, and emotional functioning through attenuated inflammation and other bio-psychological pathways. The present study examined associations between nutrition and three markers of mental health among immigrants to Canada. Employing cross-sectional data from immigrant respondents (n = 37,071) to a nationally representative population-based survey (the Canadian Community Health Survey: CCHS 2011-2014), we modelled associations of daily fruit and vegetable consumption with three mental health outcomes: anxiety and/or mood disorder diagnosis, being distressed (assessed via the 6-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale), and having good self-rated overall mental health.Multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed, adjusting for various socio-demographic and lifestyle-relatedvariables. Higher consumption of fruit and vegetables demonstrated significant, protective associations with odds of having a mood and/or anxiety disorder, being distressed, and self-rated good mental health. Such patterns of association were similar regardless of ethno-cultural minority status and recency of immigration. Moreover, the protective associations of nutrition and mental health were independent of socio-demographic, health, and lifestyle factors. Results suggested evidence of protective associations between healthy nutritional intake and mental illness among a large-scale sample of immigrants in Canada. Importantly, the protective associations of healthier diets with immigrants' mental health were independent of various markers of healthy lifestyles (e.g., general health status, physical activity, alcohol use). Healthy dietary intake may, therefore, be worth consideration in efforts to prevent mental illness among immigrants.

Global Birthright Citizenship Laws: How Inclusive?

The principal way in which formal citizenship status is acquired is on the basis of birth, whether by descent (ius sanguinis) or territory of birth (ius soli), and most people retain their citizenship of birth for life. Yet birthright citizenship laws have received less attention than naturalisation procedures. Drawing on GLOBALCIT data on citizenship laws in 177 countries in 2016, and indicators of birthright citizenship laws constructed from these, we analyse how global provisions for birthright citizenship vary across the world. We examine the extent to which provision is automatic and unconditional or subject to conditions or restrictions, and the implications for inclusion, in particular of immigrants. Almost all states provide for ius sanguinis citizenship, although with varying restrictions, especially for those born to citizens abroad. Ius soli is unconditional in a small minority of countries, but in half the countries studied it is limited to foundlings and children who would otherwise be stateless, and it is entirely absent in some. Different levels of conditionality of ius soli citizenship exclude the children of immigrants from citizenship of the country in which they live, and can also produce statelessness. Notwithstanding international laws and conventions, some birthright provisions also explicitly exclude on the basis of the marital status of parents, and on gender, racial, ethnic, religious or cultural grounds—all with potentially significant impact on immigrants. Finally, birthright citizenship laws display clearly differentiated geographical patterns, and ius soli is by no means always strongly provided in countries with the largest immigrant populations.

Adenoma Detection Rate in Index Screening Colonoscopy in Predominantly Immigrant Urban Black Population: A Retrospective Study

Introduction: Screening colonoscopy is the preferred procedure for colon cancer screening and has resulted in reduction in, the incidence of colorectal adenocarcinoma(CRC). However, the incidence and mortality of CRC in black population is considerably high compared to other races. Brooklyn, NY is home to a large immigrant black population and the baseline adenoma detection rate (ADR) in screening index colonoscopy in this immigrant population has not been reported before. We aimed to study the baseline ADR in this population and look at different variables that can influence ADR Methods: Retrospective chart review was done in all patients undergoing colonoscopy at University hospital of Brooklyn, NY and Kings county hospital center, Brooklyn, NY from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012. Patients were included in the study if they were identified as African-American, African-Caribbean or African, aged between 45 and 75 and if they were undergoing screening index colonoscopy. Demographic history, past medical history, social history and endoscopic history including pathology were collected for all the patients. Primary aim of the study is calculation of baseline ADR in this population. Secondary endpoints were sex specific ADR and whether fellow participation improves ADR. Results: A total of 1692 patients met the inclusion criteria. Baseline characteristics of these patients are shown in image 1. Baseline total ADR for this population was calculated to be 18.7%. ADR for black males was 21.3% and for female black patients was 17.3%. On comparison of colonoscopy with and without fellow participation, there was a statistically significant improvement in ADR with fellow participation for female patients (23.2% with fellows vs 16.4% without fellows, p=0.027). Patients with type 2 Diabetes mellitus had high risk of adenomas than patients who did not have (OR-1.33 [1.033 to 1.72]), however use of aspirin or metformin use were not associated with decreased risk of adenomas in our cohort Conclusion: This is the first study looking at baseline ADR in this predominantly immigrant black population in Brooklyn, NY. Our study cohort had almost 2/3rd of the patients as females which may potentially explain slightly lower overall ADR in our study. Fellow participation improved ADR in female patients in our study cohort. Larger studies with longer followup interval are needed to confirm if baseline ADR is consistently lower compared to average ADR of US population undergoing screening colonoscopy263 Figure 1. Baseline characteristics

Health Care In California

California has led the nation in coverage gains related to the Affordable Care Act, but it struggles to provide health services for its large population of undocumented immigrants and hold down prices for everyone. This DataGraphic shows where residents get their health coverage, who's uninsured and why, and which areas of the state have the most heavily concentrated hospital and physician markets. It then turns its eye to state and local efforts to improve health outcomes through the prevention of heart attacks and maternal deaths and limits on childhood vaccines exemptions.

Food Insecurity, Cardiometabolic Health, and Health Care in U.S.-Mexico Border Immigrant Adults: An Exploratory Study.

Household food insecurity (HFI) has been linked to poorer cardiometabolic health and reduced health care access but few studies have examined these issues in the large Mexican immigrant population living on the U.S.-Mexico border. This exploratory study examined the association of HFI with cardiometabolic conditions and health care in 40-84year urban border immigrants (n = 75). Data were collected on HFI, self-reported and clinical cardiometabolic conditions, health care sources and use. HFI affected 45% of participants. HFI was associated with self-reported and clinical diabetes but not hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, or metabolic syndrome. It also was associated with increased emergency room visits and hospitalizations but not source of primary health care or preventative health care use. These findings highlight the need for additional research on the relationship of HFI with cardiometabolic health and health care in border immigrants as well as reassessment of current immigrant food security and health laws and policies.

The Burden of Typhoid Fever in South Africa: The Potential Impact of Selected Interventions

.Typhoid fever is notifiable in South Africa but clinical notification is notoriously poor. South Africa has an estimated annual incidence rate of 0.1 cases per 100,000 population of culture-confirmed typhoid fever, decreased from 17 cases per 100,000 population in the 1980s. This work was undertaken to identify the reasons for this decrease and identify potential weaknesses that may result in an increase of observed cases. Culture-confirmed cases, with additional demographic and clinical data have been collected from selected sentinel sites since 2003. Data on contextual factors (gross domestic product [GDP], sanitation, female education, and childhood diarrhea mortality) were collected. National incidence rates of culture-confirmed typhoid fever have remained constant for the past 13 years, with the exception of an outbreak in 2005: incidence was 0.4 per 100,000 population. Paratyphoid fever remains a rare disease. Antimicrobial susceptibility data suggest resistance to ciprofloxacin and azithromycin is emerging. The South African population increased from 27.5 million in 1980 to 55.0 million in 2015: urbanization increased from 50% to 65%, GDP increased from United States Dollar (USD) $2,910 to USD $6,167, access to sanitation improved from 64.4% to 70.0% in the urban population and 26.4% to 60.5% in rural areas. Female literacy levels improved from 74.8% to 92.6% over the period. Improved socioeconomic circumstances in South Africa have been temporally associated with decreasing incidence rates of typhoid fever over a 35-year period. Ongoing challenges remain including potential for large outbreaks, a large immigrant population, and emerging antimicrobial resistance. Continued active surveillance is mandatory.

Chagas Disease Surveillance Activities - Seven States, 2017.

Chagas disease, a potentially life-threatening disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, has become a concern in the United States as a result of human emigration from Latin America where Chagas disease is endemic (1). It is estimated that as many as 8 million people living in Mexico, and Central and South America have Chagas disease.* Most cases of Chagas disease in the United States are chronic infections; however, rare cases of acute congenital infections and autochthonous vectorborne transmission have been reported (2). To understand how data are collected and used, a review of state-level public health surveillance for Chagas disease was conducted through semistructured interviews with health officials in six states (Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi Tennessee, and Texas) where Chagas disease is reportable and one (Massachusetts) where it was previously reportable. States implemented surveillance in response to blood donor screening for Chagas disease and to identify the route of disease transmission. Many states reported primarily chronic cases and had limited ability to respond to local transmission because acute cases were infrequently reported. Surveillance remains important in states with large populations of immigrants or frequent travelers from countries with endemic disease and for states with a risk for local transmission. Surveillance efforts can also help increase awareness among providers and assist in linking patients with Chagas disease to treatment to help prevent cardiac and gastrointestinal complications.

World Film Locations: Liverpool eds. by Jez Conolly and Caroline Whelan (review)

Reviewed by: World Film Locations: Liverpool eds. by Jez Conolly and Caroline Whelan Kevin M. Flanagan World Film Locations: Liverpool Jez Conolly and Caroline Whelan, eds. Bristol, UK: Intellect Books, 2013 Liverpool, a city on the Northwestern coast of England, is a place of profound dualities. As a thriving port city and center of industry, it was an essential gateway to the Empire (and the rest of the world). It has a large immigrant population, including the closest connection to Ireland of any city in England. Its people enjoyed the riches of the Industrial Revolution and were early witnesses to the marvels of modernity: the railway, electric lighting, and cinema. By the era of Margaret Thatcher (the late 1970s and early 1980s), however, Liverpool loomed large as a symbol of decline. With a retreat of heavy industries and reduced importance for trade, the city reeled under high unemployment. Continued sectarian violence, crime, and crumbling infrastructure gave it an almost post-apocalyptic air. Yet, sometimes fortunes reverse. In 2008, it was made European Capital of Culture. Although problems remain, as in all cities, this metropolis on the Mersey thrives through tourism, nightlife, its musical heritage and, somewhat surprisingly, as a destination for cinema production. Jez Conolly and Caroline Whelan's World Film Locations: Liverpool is full of surprising revelations about the city's pride of place in the history of movies. Some of these are momentous. Conolly's entry on Jean Alexandre Louis Promio's Panorama Pris du Chemin de Fer Electrique I-IV (1897), notes that it is the first extant film with images set in Liverpool as well as the film with the earliest known tracking shot. Promio operated his camera from a train carriage, giving us both a traveller's eye view of the city and a point of entry for the "phantom ride" film genre, whose impressions of motions and space delighted early cinema audiences (12). Other tidbits from the book are slightly more esoteric but no less fascinating. Fans of the offbeat film No Surrender (1985), directed by Peter Young, with a script from famous Scouse writer Alan Bleasdale, in which Protestant and Catholic old age pensioners square off against one another in an overbooked nightclub on New Year's Eve, will be delighted to learn that the movie's main outdoor location was constructed in front of a hangar at RAF Burtonwood in nearby Warrington (52-53). Conolly and Whelan's book connects filmmakers, favored genres (especially social realist melodrama), and local actors with specific locations in and around the city. Like other books in the World Film Locations series, thematic essays break up a chronological assessment of films that cover the 100-plus-year lifespan of motion pictures. The essays are quite short and feel more like invitations for readers to discover new works than a space to make a complex argument. Each provides something worthwhile, especially Jacqui Miller's account of proto-New Wave, location-heavy films made in Liverpool. Although easily dismissible as routine melodramas and thrillers, The Magnet (Charles Frend, 1950), The Clouded Yellow (Ralph Thomas, 1950), and Violent Playground (Basil Dearden, 1958) have resonances with critically lauded traditions like Italian Neo-Realism and offer unrecoverable glimpses of a vanished cityscape (68-69). Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the book is its construction of Liverpool as a city of absences. Beyond discussion of several films that are set in Liverpool but filmed in other cities--most famously Educating Rita (1983, Lewis Gilbert)--is a constant reliance on the ghostly traces of an uprooted past. The films of Terence Davies, especially the elegiac Of Time and the City (2008), in some cases literally embody this mentality. In an excellent essay on the legacy of the "Merseybeat" moment, when The Beatles and Gerry and the Pacemakers embodied a new mode of pop that had not yet been co-opted by culturally omnivorous London, Nick Riddle reminds us that there is precious little film footage of The Beatles playing their music in Liverpool. A Granada Television crew captured their [End Page 76] August 22, 1962 performance, but most of The Beatles on screen is overshadowed by the London of A Hard Day's...

Direct-Acting Antiviral Therapy for Hepatitis C Infection in a Large Immigrant Community.

Hepatitis C treatment has rapidly evolved with the arrival of direct-acting antiviral therapy. Sustained virologic response (SVR) rates in clinical trials are high but it is unknown how this translates to the immigrant community. Data from December 2013 to September 2015 was collected from a Midwest academic and community practice with a large immigrant population. There were 802 patients with an overall SVR rate of 88%. Ledipasvir/sofosbuvir was associated with favorable response among genotype 1 and 4 patients compared to other regimens (p < 0.001 and p = 0.05). Factors associated with treatment failure included advanced liver disease, male gender, East African/Middle Eastern ethnicity, and non-compliance. Patients with genotype 4 had lower SVR rates than other genotypes (58% vs. 89%, p < 0.001), particularly among East Africans (40% vs. 82% for other ethnicities). Our SVR rate for genotype 4 infection is lower than clinical trials and may be related to cultural, biologic and socioeconomic factors.

The causality between economic growth and immigration in EU/EFTA Member States

The EU/EFTA Member States attract yearly a large population of immigrants. Economists, demographers, historians and sociologists generally agree that the need to fill labor market gaps and the income differences between host and sending countries explain migration into industrialized nations. They also recognize that demographic changes that occur through immigration have important economic effects. However, regarding the existence of economic repercussions of migration, there is no conclusive evidence on the relationship between economic growth and immigration. To this end, the Granger long-run causality based on the Error Correction Model (ECM) and Johansen cointegration technique and Granger causality test were applied to Eurostat database for EU/EFTA nations.