Monge S, Ronda E, Pons-Vigués M, Vives Cases C, Malmusi D, Gil-González D. [Methodological limitations and recommendations in publications on migrant population health in Spain].
GACETA SANITARIA 2015;
29:461-3. [PMID:
26387460 DOI:
10.1016/j.gaceta.2015.07.012]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2015] [Revised: 07/20/2015] [Accepted: 07/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Our objective was to describe the methodological limitations and recommendations identified by authors of original articles on immigration and health in Spain. A literature review was conducted of original articles published in Spanish or English between 1998 and 2012 combining keywords on immigration and health. A total of 311 articles were included; of these, 176 (56.6%) mentioned limitations, and 15 (4.8%) made recommendations. The most frequently mentioned limitations included the following: reduced sample sizes; internal validity and sample representativeness issues, with under- or overrepresentation of specific groups; problems of validity of the collected information and missing data mostly related to measurement tools; and absence of key variables for adjustment or stratification. Based on these results, a series of recommendations are proposed to minimise common limitations and advance the quality of scientific production on immigration and health in our setting.
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