A. Dotevall et al., Does immigration contribute to decreasing CHD incidence? Coronary risk factors among immigrants in Goteborg, Sweden, J INTERN M, 247(3), 2000, pp. 331-339
Citations number
28
Categorie Soggetti
General & Internal Medicine","Medical Research General Topics
Objectives. To investigate if an increasing proportion of immigrants may ha
ve contributed to the decreasing trend in coronary heart disease (CHD) in S
weden during the last few decades and to analyse the cardiovascular risk fa
ctor pattern in immigrants compared to Swedish-born subjects.
Population and methods. CVD risk factors were investigated within the frame
work of the WHO MONICA project. A random sample of 1618 men and women aged
25-64 years responded to the invitation to a screening procedure including
questionnaires and physical and laboratory examination. Data on myocardial
infarctions (MI) were collected from the Goteborg Myocardial Infarction Reg
ister. Data from the City Council secretariat were used to estimate the num
ber of immigrants in the total population.
Results. In 1995, immigrants constituted 22.4% of the population between 25
and 64 years of age in Goteborg. The incidence of MI in immigrants, 21.7%,
was similar to that in Swedish-born subjects. Non-Finnish immigrants repor
ted more unemployment, low physical activity during leisure time and psycho
logical stress than Swedish subjects. Immigrant men also smoked more. BMI a
nd WHR were significantly higher in immigrant women and Finnish immigrants
had higher blood pressure than Swedes. Total- and LDL-cholesterol were high
er in Finnish men. HDL-cholesterol was significantly lower and s-triglyceri
des significantly higher in non-Finnish immigrants of both genders.
Conclusion. The decreasing trend in CHD in Sweden during the last few decad
es is not due to an increasing number of immigrants from 'low-risk countrie
s'. On the contrary, the immigrants in the present study seem to have a wor
se CVD risk factor profile than Swedes.