title: Inequality in self-rated health among immigrants, their descendants and ethnic Danes: examining the role of socioeconomic position.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated inequalities in self-rated health between immigrants, their descendants, and ethnic Danes and explored mediation by socioeconomic position and interactions between country of origin and socioeconomic position.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey data on self-rated health from 4,985 individuals aged 18-66 years including immigrants from seven non-Western countries, their descendants, and ethnic Danes was linked to registry-based data on education, employment status, and income as indicators of socioeconomic position. Using multiple logistic regression analysis, we estimated the association between country of origin and self-rated health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immigrants reported poorer health compared with ethnic Danes [age-adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.0-7.3 for men; 2.1-10.5 for women, dependent on country of origin] as well as their descendants (OR = 1.6-3.8 for men; 1.5-2.0 for women). Adjustment for socioeconomic position attenuated this association. Stratified analysis indicated that the effect of socioeconomic position on self-rated health varied across the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Policies addressing inequalities in health between immigrants, their descendants, and ethnic Danes should target underlying socioeconomic inequalities. Further research of the effects of socioeconomic position on health among immigrants and descendants is needed.
authors.affiliation: Danish Research Centre for Migration, Ethnicity and Health (MESU), Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, PO Box 2099, 1014 Copenhagen K, Denmark. cedi@sund.ku.dk
authors.forename: Cecilie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dinesen
authors.forename: Signe Smith
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Laust Hvas
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Mortensen
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krasnik
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003718:Denmark / Q000208:ethnology; D004522:Educational Status; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D004651:Employment; D005006:Ethnicity; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057566:Self Report; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult