This study investigates incidence of first acute myocardial infarction (MI) among foreign born persons in Sweden using case control methods, taking into consideration country of birth, gender, socio-economic group and time since immigration and evaluates if the decreasing incidence of MI in Sweden during the study period was also present in immigrants. The study base consisted of persons 30-74 years of age in Stockholm County 1977-96. All incident cases of first acute MI in the study population were identified using registers of hospital discharges and deaths. Controls were selected randomly from the study base and the sampling fractions were known, enabling estimates of person time at risk. Foreign born subjects had a higher incidence of MI than subjects born in Sweden (men RR[Relative risk]=1,17; 95% CI 1,13-1,21; women RR = 1,15; 95% CI 1,09-1,21) after adjustment for calendar year, age and socio-economic group. An increased incidence was present primarily in subjects born in Finland, other Nordic countries, Poland, Turkey, Syria and South Asia in both genders, from the Netherlands among men and from Iraq among women and was still present after more than 20 years in Sweden. The incidence rate of MI 1977-96 among foreign born persons followed the general decline in the Swedish population. We conclude that foreign born persons in Sweden have an increased incidence of first MI which persists several years after immigration and is not explained by socio-economic differences. It is likely that this to an important extent has a background in factors in the country of origin.
Emigration from Finland to Sweden may be associated with a reduced prevalence of CHD. The causes are most likely multifactorial and may involve changes in dietary habits, physical activity, psychosocial factors, and inflammation.
In a large nation-wide probability sample of majority and minority groups in two countries (in Finland and Sweden), more positive intergroup attitudes were, as expected, associated with higher status, more intergroup contact and higher familiarity of contact partner. Supporting predictions, smaller numerical group size was associated with more negative intergroup attitudes only when amount of contact was controlled for. In addition, group size and group status interacted such that the high status majority and the low status minority held the most positive intergroup attitudes, and familiarity of contact partner had more positive effects on intergroup attitudes when the contact partner was typical of the outgroup. However, typicality of contact partner did not moderate the effect of contact on attitudes.
Immigrants in Sweden in general do not seem to have a higher mortality after a first myocardial infarction than Sweden-born, in particular when differences in socioeconomic status are accounted for. A higher CHD mortality in immigrants appears to be primarily due to an elevated disease incidence.
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