Acculturation, Adaptation, and Health among Croatian Migrants in Austria and Ireland: A Cross-Sectional Study

Izolda Pristojkovic Suko, Magdalena Holter, Erwin Stolz, Elfriede Renate Greimel and Wolfgang Freidl ()
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Izolda Pristojkovic Suko: Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Magdalena Holter: Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Documentation, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
Erwin Stolz: Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Elfriede Renate Greimel: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
Wolfgang Freidl: Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 24, 1-15

Abstract: Since Croatia joined the European Union, majority of the studies on Croatian emigrants have predominantly addressed the reasons for migration and their future predictions. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the sense of coherence, health behavior, acculturation, adaptation, perceived health, and quality of life (QoL) in first-generation Croatian migrants living in Austria and Ireland. Our study is the first study that addresses the perceived health and QoL of Croatian migrants since the last emigration wave in 2013. An online survey was conducted in Austria (n = 112) and Ireland (n = 116) using standardized questionnaires. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted for emigrated Croats to identify the predictors of perceived health and QoL. The analyses revealed that the sense of coherence and psychological adaptation were the strongest predictors of perceived health and QoL in Austria and Ireland. Furthermore, in the environmental domain of QoL, a higher education, higher net income, life in Austria rather than Ireland, better health behavior, higher sense of coherence, and better psychological and sociocultural adaptation explained 55.9% of the variance. Health policies and programs should use the salutogenic model to improve the health-related quality of life and psychological adaptation of Croatian migrants.

Keywords: acculturation; adaptation; perceived health; quality of life; Croatian migrants (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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