[Norwegian and immigrant patients at a health care center. Are there real differences?]

Routine data from a Primary Health Care Centre in Oslo have been analysed to find differences between Norwegian and immigrant patients. We compared frequencies of diagnoses, as well as pattern and outcome of contacts (laboratory-tests, referrals and follow-up appointments). The two patient groups showed different age and gender distribution. There were fewer children, more elderly and more women among the Norwegians than among the immigrants. This explains the differences in the pattern of contact, and its outcome. Differences in the distribution of diagnoses also depended on group related factors other than the unequal age and gender distribution. The higher frequency of non-specific conditions among immigrants and mental diseases among Norwegians were due to group-specific factors alone. The first of these differences is interpreted as a sign of poor communication between the doctor and the immigrant patients. More seldom than expected, the differences were related to other factors than age and gender distribution. It is therefore important to focus also on similarities when comparing native and immigrant patients.