Ethnic differences in self reported health in Malmo in southern Sweden

Study objective-The aim of this study was to investigate ethnic differences in self reported health in the city of Malmo, Sweden, and whether these di fferences could be explained by psychosocial and economic conditions. Design/Setting/Participants-The public health survey in Malmo 1994 was a cr oss sectional study. A total of 5600 people aged 20-80 years completed a po stal questionnaire. The participation rate was 71%. The population was cate gorised according to country of origin: born in Sweden, other Western count ries, Yugoslavia, Poland, Arabic speaking countries and all other countries . The multivariate analysis was performed using a logistic regression model in order to investigate the importance of possible confounders on the diff erences by country of origin in self reported health. Finally, variables me asuring psychosocial and economic conditions were introduced into the model . Main results-The odds ratios of having poor self reported health were signi ficantly higher among men born in other Western countries, Yugoslavia, Arab ic speaking countries and in the category all other countries, as well as a mong women born in Yugoslavia, Poland and all other countries, compared wit h men and women born in Sweden. The multivariate analysis including age and education did not change these results. A huge reduction of the odds ratio s was observed for men and women born in Yugoslavia, Arabic speaking countr ies and all other countries, and for women born in Poland after the introdu ction of the social network, social support and economic factors into the m ultivariate model. Conclusions-There were significant ethnic group differences in self reporte d health. These differences were greatly reduced by psychosocial and econom ic factors, which suggest that these factors may be important determinants of self rated health in certain minority groups.