title: Are there differences in injury mortality among refugees and immigrants compared with native-born?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The authors studied injury mortality in Denmark among refugees and immigrants compared with that among native Danes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A register-based, historical prospective cohort design. All refugees (n=29, 139) and family reunited immigrants (n=27, 134) who between 1 January 1993 and 31 December 1999 received residence permission were included and matched 1:4 on age and sex with native Danes. Civil registration numbers were cross-linked to the Register of Causes of Death, and fatalities due to unintentional and intentional injuries were identified based on ICD-10 diagnosis. Sex-specific mortality ratios were estimated by migrant status and region of birth, adjusting for age and income and using a Cox regression model after a median follow-up of 11-12 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with native Danes, both female (RR=0.44; 95% CI 0.23 to 0.83) and male (RR=0.40; 95% CI 0.29 to 0.56) refugees as well as female (RR=0.40; 95% CI 0.21 to 0.76) and male (RR=0.22; 95% CI 0.12 to 0.42) immigrants had significantly lower mortality from unintentional injuries. Suicide rates were significantly lower for male refugees (RR=0.38; 95% CI 0.24 to 0.61) and male immigrants (RR=0.24; 95% CI 0.10 to 0.59), whereas their female counterparts showed no significant differences. Only immigrant women had a significantly higher homicide rate (RR=3.09; 95% CI 1.11 to 8.60) compared with native Danes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall results were advantageous to migrant groups. Research efforts should concentrate on investigating protective factors among migrants, which may benefit injury prevention in the majority population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. mano@sund.ku.dk
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Norredam
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Olsbjerg
authors.forename: Jorgen H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Bjarne
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Laursen
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krasnik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002423:Cause of Death; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D044382:Population Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012036:Refugees / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012042:Registries; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000401:mortality*; D055815:Young Adult