Form Submission: Participation Entry

Immigrants to the United States (US) experience different health risks compared to the US-born. It is unknown if different levels of environmental exposures such as ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) contribute to immigrant health disparities. We calculated the average annual PM2.5 exposure for the US-born, immigrants, and immigrant subgroups by country of origin. Among these population subgroups, we estimated disparities in PM2.5 exposure and mortality attributable to PM2.5. On average, in 2000 immigrants were exposed to PM2.5 levels 1.25 µg/m3 higher than those of the US-born and 0.36 µg/m3 higher PM2.5 in 2010. The mortality attributable to PM2.5 exposure in immigrants compared to the US-born was +7.0 deaths/100,000 people in 2000 and +1.7 deaths/100,000 people in 2010. We also found heterogeneity in estimates depending on country of origin, suggesting that PM2.5 may contribute to health disparities among immigrants.