Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 19, Issue 2, 2017, Pages 448-476

Morbidity, Self-Perceived Health and Mortality Among non-Western Immigrants and Their Descendants in Denmark in a Life Phase Perspective (Review)

Jervelund S.S. , Malik S. , Ahlmark N. , Villadsen S.F. , Nielsen A. , Vitus K.*
  • a Department of Public Health, Section for Health Services Research, Danish Research Centre for Migration, Ethnicity, and Health (MESU), University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5A, Copenhagen, 1014, Denmark
  • b Department of Public Health, Section for Health Services Research, Danish Research Centre for Migration, Ethnicity, and Health (MESU), University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5A, Copenhagen, 1014, Denmark, Vestegnens Sprog- og Kompetencecenter, Skolevej 6, Glostrup, 2600, Denmark
  • c National Institute of Public Health, Research Programme On Health Promotion and Prevention, University of Southern Denmark, Øster Farimagsgade 5A, Copenhagen, 1353, Denmark
  • d Department of Public Health, Section for Health Services Research, Danish Research Centre for Migration, Ethnicity, and Health (MESU), University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5A, Copenhagen, 1014, Denmark, Department of Public Health, Section for Social Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5A, Copenhagen, 1014, Denmark
  • e Department of Food and Resource Economics, Section for Consumption, Bioethics and Governance, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 25, Frederiksberg, 1958, Denmark
  • f Department of Public Health, Section for Health Services Research, Danish Research Centre for Migration, Ethnicity, and Health (MESU), University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5A, Copenhagen, 1014, Denmark, Department of Sociology and Social Work, Aalborg University, Frederikskaj 10B, Copenhagen, 2450, Denmark

Abstract

To enable preventive policies to address health inequity across ethnic groups, this review overviews the current knowledge on morbidity, self-perceived health and mortality among non-Western immigrants and their descendants in Denmark. A systematic search in PUBMED, SCOPUS, Embase and Cochrane as well as in national databases was undertaken. The final number of publications included was 45. Adult immigrants had higher morbidity, but lower mortality compared to ethnic Danes. Immigrant children had higher mortality and morbidity compared to ethnic Danes. Immigrants’ health is critical to reach the political goals of integration. Despite non-Western immigrants’ higher morbidity than ethnic Danes, no national strategy targeting immigrants’ health has been implemented. Future research should include elderly immigrants and children, preferably employing a life-course perspective to enhance understanding of parallel processes of societal adaptation and health. © 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

Health status Denmark Mental health migrant Review

Index Keywords

perception mental health human epidemiology Self Report sex difference aging Denmark Ethnic Groups statistics and numerical data ethnic group health status morbidity ethnology Humans migrant psychology Emigrants and Immigrants Socioeconomic Factors socioeconomics age Sex Factors Age Factors mortality
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84961837669&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-016-0347-9&partnerID=40&md5=4a7048c8f829efe27e96d506d9c1f151
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-016-0347-9
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 7
Original Language: English