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Table 1 Characteristics of the sample

From: Health status of female Moldovan migrants to Italy by health literacy level and age group: a descriptive study

Variable

 

Results

(N = 170)

Socio-demographic variables

 Years in Italy

mean (SD)

12.4 ± 6.2

 Age groups

n (%)

 

  20–34

 

32 (19.5%)

  35–44

 

41 (25.0%)

  45–54

 

36 (22.0%)

  55–64

 

46 (28.0%)

   > 65

 

9 (5.5%)

 Years of education

mean (SD)

12.7 (3.7)

 Low health literacy: SILS score > 2

n (%)

21 (13.0%)

 Occupation

n (%)

 

  Home care workers

 

48 (28.2%)

  Cleaners

 

46 (27.1%)

  Other

 

49 (28.8%)

  Health care workers

 

10 (5.9%)

  Unemployed

 

17 (10.0%)

 Health behaviors and anthropometric variables

  BMI (kg/m^2)

mean (SD)

25.6 (4.7)

  Body Mass Index

n (%)

 

   Underweight

 

6 (3.7%)

   Normal weight

 

79 (48.2%)

   Overweight

 

50 (30.5%)

   Obese

 

29 (17.7%)

 Smoking

n (%)

30 (17.6%)

 Daily alcohol intake (units)

mean (SD)

1.4 (1.0)

 Sport or physical exercise in the last 12 months

n (%)

 

  Never

 

53 (33.1%)

  Less than once a week

 

21 (13.1%)

  Once a week or more

 

86 (53.8%)

 Health status

  Previously diagnosed diseases

  

   Asthma

n (%)

8 (4.9%)

   Bronchitis

n (%)

6 (3.7%)

   Myocardial infarction

n (%)

7 (4.3%)

   Coronary disease

n (%)

9 (5.5%)

   Hypertension

n (%)

44 (27.0%)

   Arthritis/arthrosis

n (%)

56 (34.1%)

   Lumbar disorders

n (%)

71 (44.4%)

   Cervical disorders

n (%)

62 (38.3%)

   Diabetes

n (%)

9 (5.5%)

   Allergies

n (%)

59 (36.0%)

   Depression

n (%)

22 (13.7%)

   Anxiety

n (%)

14 (8.6%)

 Symptoms in the last 6 months

  Headache

n (%)

 

   Never

 

32 (19.5%)

   Sometimes

 

58 (35.4%)

   Daily

 

74 (45.1%)

  Trouble sleeping

n (%)

 

   Never

 

71 (43.8%)

   Sometimes

 

27 (16.7%)

   Daily

 

64 (39.5%)

  Extreme fatigue

n (%)

 

   Never

 

78 (47.6%)

   Sometimes

 

23 (14.0%)

   Daily

 

63 (38.4%)

  Lack of appetite

n (%)

 

   Never

 

129 (78.7%)

   Sometimes

 

10 (6.1%)

   Daily

 

25 (15.2%)

  Difficulty concentrating

n (%)

 

   Never

 

92 (56.8%)

   Sometimes

 

37 (22.8%)

   Daily

 

33 (20.4%)

  Gastro-intestinal problems

n (%)

 

   Never

 

91 (55.5%)

   Sometimes

 

27 (16.5%)

   Daily

 

46 (28.0%)

  Dizziness

n (%)

 

   Never

 

76 (46.3%)

   Sometimes

 

51 (31.1%)

   Daily

 

37 (22.6%)

  Shortness of breath

n (%)

 

   Never

 

132 (80.5%)

   Sometimes

 

15 (9.1%)

   Daily

 

17 (10.4%)

  Difficulty relaxing

n (%)

 

   Never

 

95 (58.3%)

   Sometimes

 

23 (14.1%)

   Daily

 

45 (27.6%)

 Use of public health services

  Mammography at least once in lifea

n (%)

 

   No

 

7 (9.6%)

   Yes

 

66 (90.4%)

Pap smear at least once in lifeb

n (%)

 

   No

 

17 (11.3%)

   Yes

 

133 (88.7%)

GP visit in previous 4 weeks

n (%)

78 (47.6%)

Specialist visit in previous 4 weeks

n (%)

61 (37.2%)

Emergency dept. visit in previous 12 months

n (%)

40 (24.4%)

Hospitalization in previous 12 months

n (%)

20 (12.2%)

  1. aOnly for women of screening age (50–74 years)
  2. bOnly for women of screening age (25–64 years)