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01-07-2011 | MORTALITY

Ethnic variations in mortality in pre-school children in Denmark, 1973–2004

Authors: Grete Skøtt Pedersen, Laust Hvas Mortensen, Anne-Marie Nybo Andersen

Published in: European Journal of Epidemiology | Issue 7/2011

Abstract

The objective of the study was to describe ethnic differences in under-five-years mortality in Denmark according to maternal country of origin. We conducted a large registry-linkage study of all singleton live-born children from mothers born in Denmark and from the ten largest migrant groups (n = 1,841,450). Study outcomes were death before the age of 5 years from all causes combined and the most frequent death causes. Results showed that children of mothers of Turkish, Pakistani, Somali and Iraqi origin had an elevated risk of dying before the age of five compared to offspring of mothers born in Denmark, with hazards ratios and 95% confidence intervals of 1.48 (1.31–1.67), 1.97 (1.68–2.32), 1.70 (1.29–2.25), and 1.92 (1.41–2.62), respectively. Ethnic differences were also observed in the underlying causes of death. Children of mothers born in Former Yugoslavia, Lebanon, Norway, Sweden, Iran, and Afghanistan did not differ in under-five-years mortality from ethnic Danish children. Adjustments for household income did not attenuate the risk estimates. In conclusion, we found excess child mortality in some migrant groups, but not in all. The differences could not be explained by socioeconomic status.

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Title: Ethnic variations in mortality in pre-school children in Denmark, 1973–2004
Authors: Grete Skøtt Pedersen
Laust Hvas Mortensen
Anne-Marie Nybo Andersen
Publication date: 01-07-2011
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: European Journal of Epidemiology / Issue 7/2011
Print ISSN: 0393-2990
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7284
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-011-9594-1

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Ethnic variations in mortality in pre-school children in Denmark, 1973–2004

Abstract

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Abstract

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