[Somatic health is poorer among foreign-born than native Swedes]

In a study based on data derived from the Swedish Survey of Living Conditions conducted from 1990 to 1993, differences in the prevalences of long-term somatic illnesses between native and foreign-born Swedes were analysed. Of the 18,242 randomly selected participants, aged 25-74 years. Eleven per cent were foreign-born, a figure consistent with the proportion of immigrants in the population as a whole. For the purpose of analysis, the foreign-born participants were divided into four subgroups: Finns, Southern Europeans, those from Western countries, and all others (i.e. from East Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America). As compared with native Swedes, and after adjustment for sex, age, marital status and level of education, the Finnish, Southern European and 'all other' subgroups were characterised by significantly higher prevalence rates for for longterm somatic illness (odds ratios, 1.62, 1.49 and 1.24, respectively). The same three subgroups also manifested significantly higher age- and sex-adjusted prevalences of musculo-skeletal diseases. Although the study design did not permit determination of whether susceptibility to poor somatic health was exacerbated by migration trauma or acculturative stress, the results suggest immigration to have an adverse effect on health.