Ebba Hedlund

Mortality from circulatory diseases by specific country of birth across six European countries: Test of concept

BACKGROUND Important differences in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality by country of birth have been shown within European countries. We now focus on CVD mortality by specific country of birth across European countries. METHODS For Denmark, England and Wales, France, The Netherlands, Scotland and Sweden mortality information on circulatory disease, and the subcategories of ischaemic heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease, was analysed by country of birth. Information on population was obtained from census data or population registers. Directly age-standardized rates per 100 000 were estimated by sex for each country of birth group using the WHO World Standard population 2000-25 structure. For differences in the results, at least one of the two 95% confidence intervals did not overlap. RESULTS Circulatory mortality was similar across countries for men born in India (355.7 in England and Wales, 372.8 in Scotland and 244.5 in Sweden). For other country of birth groups-China, Pakistan, Poland, Turkey and Yugoslavia-there were substantial between-country differences. For example, men born in Poland had a rate of 630.0 in Denmark and 499.3 in England and Wales and 153.5 in France; and men born in Turkey had a rate of 439.4 in Denmark and 231.4 in The Netherlands. A similar pattern was seen in women, e.g. Poland born women had a rate of 264.9 in Denmark, 126.4 in England and Wales and 54.4 in France. The patterns were similar for ischaemic heart disease mortality and cerebrovascular disease mortality. CONCLUSION Cross-country comparisons are feasible and the resulting findings are interesting. They merit public health consideration.

Sizable variations in circulatory disease mortality by region and country of birth in six European countries

BACKGROUND Circulatory disease mortality inequalities by country of birth (COB) have been demonstrated for some EU countries but pan-European analyses are lacking. We examine inequalities in circulatory mortality by geographical region/COB for six EU countries. METHODS We obtained national death and population data from Denmark, England and Wales, France, the Netherlands, Scotland and Sweden. Mortality rate ratios (MRRs) were constructed to examine differences in circulatory, ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and cerebrovascular disease mortality by geographical region/COB in 35-74 years old men and women. RESULTS South Asians in Denmark, England and Wales and France experienced excess circulatory disease mortality (MRRs 1.37-1.91). Similar results were seen for Eastern Europeans in these countries as well as in Sweden (MRRs 1.05-1.51), for those of Middle Eastern origin in Denmark (MRR = 1.49) and France (MRR = 1.15), and for East and West sub-Saharan Africans in England and Wales (MRRs 1.28 and 1.39) and France (MRRs 1.24 and 1.22). Low ratios were observed for East Asians in France, Scotland and Sweden (MRRs 0.64-0.50). Sex-specific analyses showed results of similar direction but different effect sizes. The pattern for IHD mortality was similar to that for circulatory disease mortality. Two- to three-fold excess cerebrovascular disease mortality was found for several foreign-born groups compared with the local-born populations in some countries. CONCLUSIONS Circulatory disease mortality varies by geographical region/COB within six EU countries. Excess mortality was observed for some migrant populations, less for others. Reliable pan-European data are needed for monitoring and understanding mortality inequalities in Europes multiethnic populations.

Country of birth-specific and gender differences in prevalence of diabetes in Sweden

OBJECTIVE The aim was to investigate country or region of birth-specific prevalence and gender differences of diabetes in residents in Sweden, using Swedish-born men and women as referent. METHODS The Apolipoprotein MOrtality RISk (AMORIS) cohort was used (184,000 men and 151,453 women) aged between 20 and 80 years, with data from the CALAB laboratory, Stockholm, 1985-1996. Diabetes was defined as fasting glucose ≥ 7.0 mmol/L or a hospital diagnosis of diabetes. Country of birth was obtained by linkage to Swedish Censuses 1970-1990. Standardized prevalence rate ratios (SPRR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated. RESULTS Five groups of women and one group of men had a significantly higher prevalence than Swedish-born (based on SPRR): women born in Iraq (6.0 (95% CI 1.3-28.9)), North Africa (6.9 (95% CI 3.1-15.3)), South Asia (3.1 (95% CI 1.0-10.0)), Syria (5.3 (95% CI 1.8-16.0)), Turkey (3.7 (95% CI 1.2-10.9)) and men born in other Middle Eastern countries (2.3 (95% CI 1.0-5.5)). Swedish-born men had a higher age-standardized prevalence of diabetes (3.9%) than Swedish born women (2.5%). A higher prevalence among men was also seen in other Western countries. In contrast, a higher age-standardized prevalence among women was observed in immigrants from Turkey (8.9% vs. 3.1%, p<0.001), Syria (13.1% vs. 4.0%, p=0.002), and North Africa (16.8% vs. 6.6%, p<0.001). CONCLUSION Female immigrants to Sweden from Iraq, North Africa, South Asia, Syria, and Turkey have an increased prevalence of diabetes of substantial public health concern.

Living in Danger: Previous Violence, Socioeconomic Position, and Mortality Risk among Women over a 10-Year Period

Violence against women has many negative consequences. In this short report the authors investigate patterns of mortality among women experiencing violence leading to inpatient care from 1992 to 2006. Do women who are victims of severe violence have an increased mortality risk (a) in general? (b) by violence? (c) by suicide? Does socioeconomic position have any bearing on the mortality risk? The study was based on Swedish national registers, where 6,085 women exposed to violence resulting in inpatient care were compared with a nonexposed population sample of 55,016 women. Women of all social strata previously exposed to severe violence and treated in hospital had a highly increased risk of premature death from all-cause mortality, violence, or suicide. Women previously exposed to severe violence continue to live a life in danger. There is need for a societal response to support and protect these women against further violence after discharge from hospital.

Education and post-stroke separation among couples with mutual children

The objective of this study based on Swedish registers is to examine the influence of socioeconomic position on poststroke divorce and separation using education as a marker. People aged 18 to 64 who suffered a first stroke between 1992 and 2005 were included if they were married or cohabiting and had mutual children. The material included 42,026 first stroke cases and 424,281 nonexposed persons, both populations divided into three different educational groups. Results show that the risk of separation is much higher in the incident year and in the first poststroke year, above all among people with only compulsory (elementary) education.

Beaten and Poor? A Study of the Long-Term Economic Situation of Women Victims of Severe Violence

This 10-year follow-up study based on Swedish national registers compares the economic situation of women victims of violence leading to hospitalization (n = 6,085) to nonexposed women (n = 55,016) in 1992 to 2005. Women exposed to severe violence had a poorer financial situation prior to the assault. Violence seems to heavily reinforce this pattern, indicating a continued need of support from the social work profession. Assaulted women had a worse income development, lower odds for being in employment, and higher odds for having low incomes and means tested social assistance during the 10-year follow-up, independent of having children or not.

Women experiencing severe violence in all social groups suffer long-term negative economic consequences

This study examined long-term socio-economic patterns among women aged 18-64 who suffered violence leading to inpatient care. Using data from Swedish national registers for 1992-2005, 6,085 such ca ...