Register-based studies on migration, ethnicity, and health

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Sociology

Background:

• Denmark possesses unique capabilities for register-based research on migration, ethnicity, and health.
• This review examines the utilization of these opportunities through various examples.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline how Danish national registers have been used for research on migration, ethnicity, and health.
• To showcase examples of register-based studies in this field.

Main Methods:

• Selection of six key Danish national registers for migrant health research.
• Demonstration of how migrant populations are established and studied using these registers.
• Examples include the Danish Cancer Registry, Psychiatric Research Register, National Patient Register, Health Service Register, Injury Register, and Medical Birth Register.

Main Results:

• "Country of birth" is the most frequently used data point in Denmark for identifying immigrant status and ethnic background.
• Data on specific migration backgrounds (e.g., refugee status, family reunification) is less accessible and consequently less utilized.
• Linking population registers with disease and healthcare utilization data offers significant research potential.

Conclusions:

• Danish national registers provide unparalleled opportunities for studying migration, ethnicity, and health.
• The common use of "country of birth" facilitates basic immigrant and ethnic background analysis.
• Despite challenges in obtaining detailed migration background data, register linkage enables robust health research.