La salud y sus determinantes en la población inmigrante de la Comunidad de Madrid

objectives: to describe health status and its determinants in immigrants living in the region of madrid and to compare these factors with those in the native-born population. material and methods: we performed a descriptive, cross-sectional study based on data from the madrid regional health survey 2007 (n=12,190). subjects were classified as native-born or immigrants born in medium-to-low-income countries and with less or more than 5 years of residence in spain. the results were adjusted for age. proportions and means were compared through the ji square test and linear regression. results: compared with native-born residents, immigrants were younger, carried out mainly precarious manual jobs that did not match their educational level and had a lower income and less space in their dwellings. both immigrant men and women smoked and drank less, but women showed a higher prevalence of overweight (10% more) and physical inactivity. adherence to smear test and blood pressure screening was up to a 16% lower. attendance at primary care and emergency facilities was less frequent in men and women with less residence time than in those with longer residence in spain. self-perceived health and mental health were worse in women with 5 or more years of residence. chronic diseases were similar in both populations but were less prevalent in immigrants. conclusions: immigrants' health status is not as unfavorable as could be expected from the higher prevalence of harmful determinants of health.