The aim of the present paper is to investigate the relationships of stressful events with self-reported mental health problems in the general population, comparing non-western immigrants with Danish nationals. 11.500 individuals aged 18-64 years from eight ethnic groups were invited to participate in a bilingual telephone survey on health among ethnic minorities in Denmark in 2007. Overall response rate is 52.1%. 3.997 individuals were selected for the present study. Self-reported mental health problems is twice as high among immigrants from Ex-Yugoslavia (24.6%), Iraq 30.2%) Iran (20.5% Lebanon (27.2%) and Pakistan (19.9%), as among Danish nationals (9.7%) x 2 (7, n = 3.997) = 21.57, P>0.00. Non-western immigrants report twelve out of thirteen types of stressful events more frequently compared to Danish nationals. The most frequently reported stressful event among non-western immigrants is 'personal disease'. Immigrants perceive the perils of daily life as more stressful in comparison with host nationals probably because of the additional challenges of adjusting to a new environment. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Stressful events Danish host nationals Self-reported mental health problems Non-western immigrants

cultural anthropology Europe, Eastern psychological aspect Continental Population Groups human sex difference Self Report middle aged Asia Denmark Stress, Psychological mental stress Eastern Europe ethnology Mental Disorders mental disease Young Adult Humans Adolescent male Emigrants and Immigrants female Socioeconomic Factors Africa socioeconomics race Article adult migration age Sex Factors Age Factors Culture