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Archives of Public Health
Published in: Archives of Public Health 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Research

Counting the non-existing: causes of death of undocumented migrants in Brussels-Capital Region (Belgium), 2005–2010

Authors: Dirk Lafaut, Hadewijch Vandenheede, Johan Surkyn, Gily Coene

Published in: Archives of Public Health | Issue 1/2019

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Abstract

Background

So far knowledge about undocumented migrant health status is poor. The objective of this study is to compare patterns in causes of death between undocumented migrants and legal residents, of both migrant and non-migrant origin.

Method

Using cause-of-death data, we compared undocumented migrants with Belgian residents and documented migrants through logistic regression analyses..

Results

This study shows that male undocumented migrants have a significantly higher risk of death from cardiovascular diseases compared to male Belgian residents (OR: 1.37) and documented migrants (OR: 2.17). Male undocumented migrants also have an increased risk of dying from external causes of death compared to documented migrants (OR: 1.93). Furthermore, we found a lower risk of suicidal death in undocumented migrants compared to Belgian residents (OR men: 0.29, OR women: 0.15).

Conclusions

We found important differences in underlying causes of death between undocumented migrants and residents in Belgium. These findings urge us to claim improved healthcare provision for undocumented migrants in Belgium.

Trial registration

Medical ethics committee UZ Jette, Brussels, Belgium – Registration date: 18/05/2016 – Registration number: B.U.N. 143201628279.
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Metadata
Title
Counting the non-existing: causes of death of undocumented migrants in Brussels-Capital Region (Belgium), 2005–2010
Authors
Dirk Lafaut
Hadewijch Vandenheede
Johan Surkyn
Gily Coene
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Archives of Public Health / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 2049-3258
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-019-0369-6

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