[Multiculturalism and cardiovascular diseases]

Immigration has increased drastically to the point of becoming an ordinary structure of our society. Once in Italy, the immigrant's health is compromised rapidly due to a series of conditions and illnesses that exist in our country: lack of work, inadequate salary, inappropriate residence, lacking family support, climate changes, nutritional differences. Cardiovascular illnesses represent 7.6% of the diseases of the immigrants, and cause 36.6% of deaths. The risk factors that affect the genesis of cardiovascular diseases include: subjective factors (age, ethnic group), environmental, nutritional and pathological (arterial hypertension, AIDS, tuberculosis, alcohol). The challenge for our time is to design a new solidarity model to promote cultural and social integration in order to meet the multiethnical and multiracial needs of western society. This model should permit reconsideration of doctor-patient relationship in order to build a real intercultural society.