TY - JOUR

T1 - Register-based studies on migration, ethnicity, and health

AU - Norredam, Marie

AU - Kastrup, Marianne

AU - Helweg-Larsen, Karin

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - INTRODUCTION: Researchers in Denmark have unique possibilities of register-based research in relation to migration, ethnicity, and health. This review article outlines how these opportunities have been used, so far, by presenting a series of examples. RESEARCH TOPICS: We selected six registers to highlight the process of how migrant study populations have been established and studied in relation to different registers: The Danish Cancer Registry, the Danish Central Psychiatric Research Register, the Danish National Patient Register, the Danish National Health Service Register, the Danish Injury Register, and the Danish Medical Birth Register. CONCLUSION: Our paper documents the unique opportunities to study migration, ethnicity, and health through Danish national registers. Our examples show that in Denmark ''country of birth'' is the most commonly used measure. It renders information on whether the person is an immigrant or not, and on ethnic background. Data on migration background (i.e. refugee status vs. family reunification, etc.) is more difficult to obtain and therefore less used. It has been debated if ethnicity should be registered upon using health services; however, some consider it discriminatory. Although, we do not register ethnicity in relation to use of health care in Denmark, our possibilities of linkage between population registers and registers on diseases and healthcare utilisation appear to render the same potentials.

AB - INTRODUCTION: Researchers in Denmark have unique possibilities of register-based research in relation to migration, ethnicity, and health. This review article outlines how these opportunities have been used, so far, by presenting a series of examples. RESEARCH TOPICS: We selected six registers to highlight the process of how migrant study populations have been established and studied in relation to different registers: The Danish Cancer Registry, the Danish Central Psychiatric Research Register, the Danish National Patient Register, the Danish National Health Service Register, the Danish Injury Register, and the Danish Medical Birth Register. CONCLUSION: Our paper documents the unique opportunities to study migration, ethnicity, and health through Danish national registers. Our examples show that in Denmark ''country of birth'' is the most commonly used measure. It renders information on whether the person is an immigrant or not, and on ethnic background. Data on migration background (i.e. refugee status vs. family reunification, etc.) is more difficult to obtain and therefore less used. It has been debated if ethnicity should be registered upon using health services; however, some consider it discriminatory. Although, we do not register ethnicity in relation to use of health care in Denmark, our possibilities of linkage between population registers and registers on diseases and healthcare utilisation appear to render the same potentials.

KW - Delivery of Health Care

KW - Denmark

KW - Emigrants and Immigrants

KW - Ethnic Groups

KW - Female

KW - Health

KW - Health Status

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Mental Disorders

KW - Neoplasms

KW - Refugees

KW - Registries

KW - Reproduction

KW - Socioeconomic Factors

KW - Wounds and Injuries

U2 - 10.1177/1403494810396561

DO - 10.1177/1403494810396561

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 21775384

VL - 39

SP - 201

EP - 205

JO - Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Supplement

JF - Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Supplement

SN - 1403-4956

IS - 7 Suppl

ER -