European Journal of Public Health
Volume 20, Issue 5, 2010, Pages 530-535

Cross-country variation in stillbirth and neonatal mortality in offspring of Turkish migrants in northern Europe (Article) (Open Access)

Villadsen S.F. , Sievers E. , Andersen A.-M.N. , Arntzen A. , Audard-Mariller M. , Martens G. , Ascher H. , Hjern A.*
  • a Institute of Human Nutrition, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 30, 1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
  • b Academy of Public Health, Kanzlerstraße 4, Germany
  • c Division of Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, J B Winsløw Vej 9B, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
  • d Faculty of Social Science, Vestfold University College, N-3103 Tønsberg, Norway
  • e Av. du Jura 60, 1180 Rolle, Switzerland
  • f Flemish Centre for Study of Perinatal Epidemiology, Brussels, Belgium
  • g Nordic School of Public Health, 402 42 Göteborg, Sweden
  • h Nordic School of Public Health, 402 42 Göteborg, Sweden, Centre for Epidemiology, Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare, 106 30 Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract

Background: Diverse early-life mortality outcomes have been documented in immigrant populations in northern Europe. A recent meta-analysis has suggested that national integration policy is a key factor in understanding this heterogeneous pattern. In this study, we investigated the variation of stillbirth and neonatal mortality between societies in northern Europe in one minority population, the Turkish. Method: Data on stillbirth and neonatal deaths in 239 387 births during 1990-2005, where the mother was of Turkish origin, was drawn from birth registries or surveys in nine northern European countries. Rates were compared with births from mothers who were born in the society of residence. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios adjusted for year of birth of the offspring. Results: The risks for stillbirth were, or tended to be, elevated for Turkish mothers in all countries compared with the native population, with the highest risk in Austria (odds ratio (OR) 1.7; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4-2.1) and Switzerland (OR 1.6; 1.4-1.9). For neonatal mortality the results were heterogeneous, indicating no excess risk for Turkish-born children in the Netherlands, the UK and Norway, and elevated risks in Denmark (OR 1.3; 1.0-1.6), Switzerland (OR 1.3; 1.1-1.5), Austria (OR 1.4; 1.0-1.8) and Germany (OR 1.3; CI 1.2-1.5). Conclusion: This study suggests that preventable society-specific determinants are important for early-life mortality in Turkish migrants in Europe. An active integration policy is consistent with a favourable neonatal mortality outcome in continental Europe, but not with patterns in Scandinavia and the UK. © The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

birth outcome stillbirth Turkish Migration Ethnicity

Index Keywords

regression analysis Europe risk minority group human Odds Ratio statistics Turkey (republic) comparative study ethnology Young Adult Humans Adolescent Minority Groups Infant, Newborn female risk factor Risk Factors newborn pregnancy Article pregnancy outcome adult migration Turkey Infant Mortality Emigration and Immigration parity stillbirth Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-77957332459&doi=10.1093%2feurpub%2fckq004&partnerID=40&md5=085eaa4efc3835c25870ae860aac1e3b
DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckq004
ISSN: 11011262
Cited by: 17
Original Language: English