[Mortality in the Swiss and foreign immigrants in the Canton of Ticino]

The Canton Ticino is one of the Swiss cantons with the highest number of foreigners (mainly Italians): roughly 25% of the entire canton's population. The aim of this work, which is part of a wider study on the immigration problem in Switzerland, is to evaluate whether the immigrant population in the Canton Ticino presents differences in death rates, both in general and according to cause of death, with respect to the Swiss population. Crude and standardized death rates were calculated for autochthonals, Italians and other foreigners, using data on those deceased in the Canton during 1991 and 1994. Higher death-rates (both sexes and all age groups, except 0-19 years) were calculated for almost all causes of death, of the Swiss group with respect to Italians and other foreigners. The low death-rates found in the immigrants may be due, at least partially, to the "healthy emigrant" effect. This effect seems to be stronger than the effect of the often negative factors to which immigrants are exposed in the host country.