Scandinavian Journal of Public Health
Volume 36, Issue 7, 2008, Pages 698-705

Migration and self-rated health: A comparison between Finns living in Sweden and Finns living in Finland (Article)

Westman J. , Sundquist K.* , Härkänen T. , Koskinen S.
  • a Center for Family and Community Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
  • b Center for Family and Community Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden, Department of Health and Functional Capacity, KTL (National Public Health Institute), Mannerheimintie 166, FIN-00300 Helsinki, Finland
  • c Department of Health and Functional Capacity, KTL (National Public Health Institute), Mannerheimintie 166, FIN-00300 Helsinki, Finland
  • d Department of Health and Functional Capacity, KTL (National Public Health Institute), Mannerheimintie 166, FIN-00300 Helsinki, Finland

Abstract

Aims: There is a lack of studies comparing health among immigrant groups with health among the population in their country of origin. This study compared the prevalence of self-rated poor health between Finns living in Sweden and Finns living in Finland. Methods: Data were obtained from the Swedish Annual Level of Living Survey between 1996 and 2003 and the Finnish national survey “Health 2000”. Odds ratios (OR) of self-rated poor health were estimated adjusting for age, marital status, education, employment and smoking. The participants were 21,991 Swedes and 836 Finns living in Sweden, and 5,096 Finns living in Finland. Results: For Finnish women living in Sweden the odds of self-rated poor health was significantly higher (OR=1.25, 95% CI=1.02—1.54) than for Finnish women living in Finland. An opposite pattern appeared among men; Finnish men living in Finland tended to have higher odds of self-rated poor health than Finnish men living in Sweden, although not to a statistically significant extent. In addition, Finns in Finland and in Sweden rated their health poorer than Swedes. Conclusions: Migration may have a different effect on Finnish men's and women's self-rated health. Further studies are needed to investigate the complex pathways between country of residence and self-rated health among immigrants. © 2008, SAGE Publications. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

Migration Gender Sweden self-rated health Finland

Index Keywords

educational status Life Style Finland human sex difference middle aged controlled study priority journal health status comparative study marriage Sweden Humans smoking male self evaluation female Socioeconomic Factors risk factor geographic origin Risk Factors self concept Article employment status adult age distribution Emigration and Immigration health hazard attitude to health population migration health survey
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-51049084218&doi=10.1177%2f1403494808089649&partnerID=40&md5=d7316a357fd6a82a108cd0661bc5106f
DOI: 10.1177/1403494808089649
ISSN: 14034948
Cited by: 16
Original Language: English