Migration and public health

Summary In an increasingly globalized world more people have the possibility to settle in a country other than the one in which they were born. To the new country migrants bring their lifestyle and other important risk factors and protective factors for health. If the immigrants are refugees, a period of uncertainty awaits them before their life in a new country can begin. As newcomers to Swedish society, they often end up in low-status neighborhoods, are reduced to heavy and low-wage jobs and often also continue to be socially vulnerable as a result of discrimination. Immigrants in Sweden of non-European background report three to four times as often as Swedishborn people that they suffer from poor or very poor health. Male immigrants smoke more than Swedishborn men, while alcohol-related diseases are less common among many immigrant groups. The incidence of a number of specific public health problems, such as allergic diseases and diabetes, varies widely across different immigrant groups. The particular background of refugees makes them especially susceptible to psychiatric morbidity, a susceptibility that is further increased by the stresses that occur during the asylum process. Adult undocumented migrants and asylum seekers have limited access to health and medical care in Sweden.