Mortality in first generation white immigrants in California, 1989-1999

To identify mortality differentials in the first generation non-Hispanic White (NHW) immigrants in California for 1989 through 1999.

First generation NHW immigrants (107,432) were identified in California Death Certificate files by place of birth outside the US and were grouped into Anglo-Saxon dominant, Northern, Western, Eastern, and Southern Europe, former USSR, Arabs and non-Arab Middle Eastern areas. US-born NHW (1,480,347) were used as standard to determine proportional mortality ratios (PMR) for major causes of death including: cancers, coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular accidents, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), HIV/AIDS, accidents, diabetes, pneumonia, suicide, and homicide.

All immigrants had significantly higher PMR for suicide and with few exceptions for cardiovascular diseases. Lower PMR was recorded for COPD and homicide. No difference was noticed for pneumonia and accidents. Cancer deaths were generally higher in European immigrants.

Mortality patterns of NHW immigrants reflect the mixed impacts of acculturation, ethnic-specific characteristics, and psychological well being.