Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Associations Between Stressful Events and Self-Reported Mental Health Problems Among Non-Western Immigrants in Denmark

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of the present paper is to investigate the relationships of stressful events with self-reported mental health problems in the general population, comparing non-western immigrants with Danish nationals. 11.500 individuals aged 18–64 years from eight ethnic groups were invited to participate in a bilingual telephone survey on health among ethnic minorities in Denmark in 2007. Overall response rate is 52.1%. 3.997 individuals were selected for the present study. Self-reported mental health problems is twice as high among immigrants from Ex-Yugoslavia (24.6%), Iraq (30.2%) Iran (20.5%), Lebanon (27.2%) and Pakistan (19.9%), as among Danish nationals (9.7%) χ2 (7, n = 3.997) = 21.57, P > 0.00. Non-western immigrants report twelve out of thirteen types of stressful events more frequently compared to Danish nationals. The most frequently reported stressful event among non-western immigrants is ‘personal disease’. Immigrants perceive the perils of daily life as more stressful in comparison with host nationals probably because of the additional challenges of adjusting to a new environment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hatch S, Dohrenwend B. Distribution of traumatic and other stressful life events by race/ethnicity, gender, SES and age: a review of the research. Am J Community Psychol. 2007;40:313–32.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Kjøller M, Juel K, Kamper-Jørgensen F. Folkesundhedsrapporten, Danmark 2007 (Public health report). København (Copenhagen): Statens Institut for Folkesundhed (National Institute of Public Health); 2008. p. 482.

  3. Mirdal G. Stress and distress in migration: problems and resources of Turkish women in Denmark. Int Migr Rev (winter). 1984;18:984–1003.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Breinholt-Larsen F, Nordvig L, Søe D. Hvordan har du det? (How are you?). Aarhus: Region Midtjylland, Center for folkesundhed (Region of Middle Jutland, Center of Public Health); 2006. p. 240.

  5. Singhammer J. Etniske minoriteters sundhed (Health among ethnic minorities). Århus (Aarhus): Center for folkesunhed, Region Midtjylland (Department of Public Health, County of Middle Jutland); 2008. p. 156.

  6. Folmann N, Jørgensen T. Etniske minoriteter––Sygdom og brug af sundhedsvæsenet: Et registerstudie (Ethnic minorities––disease and use of health care: a register-based study). København (Copenhangen): Sundhedsstyrelsen (National Board of Health); 2006. p. 68.

  7. Indenrigsministeriet. Sund hele livet - de nationale mål og strategier for folkesundheden 2002–2010 (Ministry of home affairs: healthy all life––national goals and strategies for public health 2002–2010). København; 2002.

  8. Dohrenwend B, Dohrenwend B. Stressful life events: their nature and effects. New York: John Wiley & Sons; 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Bhopal R. Ethnicity, race and health in multicultural societies. Foundations for better epidemiology, public health and health care. Oxford UK: Oxford University Press; 2007.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  10. Bhugra D. Migration and mental health. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2004;109:243–58.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Sundquist J, Bayard-Burfield L, Johansson L, et al. Impact of ethnicity, violence and acculturation on displaced migrants: psychological distress and psychosomatic complaints among refugees in Sweden. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2000;188:357–65.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Williams ED, Kooner I, Steptoe A, et al. Psychosocial factors related to cardiovascular disease risk in UK South Asian men: a preliminary study. Br J Health Psychol. 2007;12:559–70.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Williams R, Hunt K. Psychological distress among British South Asians: the contribution of stressful situations and subcultural differences in the West of Scotland Twenty-07 study. Psychol Med. 1997;27:1173–81.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Bischoff A, Wanner P. The self-reported health of immigrant groups in Switzerland. J Immigr Minor Health. 2008;10:325–35.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Syed H, Dalgard O, Dalen I, et al. Psychosocial factors and distress: a comparison between ethnic Norwegians and ethnic Pakistanis in Oslo, Norway. Public Health. 2006;6:1–9.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Irfaeya M, Maxwell A, Krãmer A. Assessing psychological stress among Arab migrant women in the city of Cologne/Germany using the community oriented primary care (COPC) approach. J Immigr Minor Health. 2008;10:337–44.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Dst. Statistikbanken (Statistical bank), Danmarks Statistik (Statistic Denmark), 2008. www.statistikbanken.dk.

  18. Rahe R. The pathway between subjects’ recent life changes and their near-future illness reports: representative results and methodological issues. In: Dohrenwend B, Dohrenwend B, editors. Stressful life events: their nature and effects. New York: John Wiley & Sons; 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Woodward M. Epidemiology. Study design and data analysis. Boca Raton: Chapman & Hall/CRC; 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  20. StataCorp. Stata Statistical Software. Release 10.1. College Station; TX: StataCorp LP; 2007.

  21. Hammad R, Dalgard O, Hussain A, et al. Inequalities in health: a comparative study between ethnic Norwegians and Pakistanis in Oslo, Norway. Int J Equity Health. 2006;5:1–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Berry J, Poortinga Y, Segall M, et al. Cross-cultural psychology research and applications. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Taloyan M, Johansson SE, Sundquist J, et al. Psychological distress among Kurdish immigrants in Sweden. Scand J Public Health. 2008;36:190–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Wiking E, Johansson S, Sundquist J. Ethnicity, acculturation, and self reported health. A population based study among immigrants from Poland, Turkey, and Iran in Sweden. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2004;58:574–82.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Olivius G, Ostergren P, Hanson B, et al. Parental economic stress: evidence of an overlooked public health risk among Swedish families. Eur J Public Health. 2004;14:354–60.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Lindstrom M, Sundquist J, Östergren P. Ethnic differences in self reported health in Malmö in southern Sweden. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2001;55:97–103.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Marmot M. Social determinants of health inequalities. The Lancet. 2005;365:1099–104.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Salway S, Platt L, Chowbey P, et al. Long-term ill health, poverty and ethnicity. Bristol: University of Sheffield and University of Essexs; 2007. p. 102.

  29. Nazroo J. The structuring of ethnic inequalities in health: economic position, racial discrimination, and rasism. Am J Public Health. 2003;93:277–84.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Thoits P. Social support functions and network structures: a supplemental view. In: Veiel H, editor. The meaning and measurement of social support. New York: Hemisphere Publishing Group; 1991. p. 327.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Sayegh L, Lasry J-C. Acculturation, stress et santé mentale chez des immigrants libanais à Montréal. Santé mentale au Québec. 1993;18:23–52.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Tinghög P, Hemmingsson T, Lundberg I. To what extent may the association between immigrant status and mental illness be explained by socioeconomic factors? Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2007;42:990–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Syed H, Dalgard O, Hussain A, et al. Inequalities in health: a comparative study between ethnic Norwegians and Pakistanis in Oslo, Norway. Int J Equity Health. 2006;29:7.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Harkness J, Van de Vijver F, Mohler P. Cross-cultural survey methods. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc; 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Lazarus RS. Puzzels in the study of daily hassles. J Behav Med. 1984;7:375–89.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Tweed RG, Conway LGIII. Coping strategies and culturally influenced beliefs about the world. In: Wong LCJ, Wong PTP, editors. Handbook of multicultural perspectives on stress and coping. New York: Springer; 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Tweed RG, White K, Lehman DR. Culture, stress, and coping. J Cross-Cult Psychol. 2004;35:652–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Schwartz SH, Sagiv L, Boehnke K. Worries and values. J Pers. 2000;68:309–46.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Sport and Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense M, Denmark

    J. Singhammer

  2. Faculty of Psychology, Research Centre for Health Promotion, University of Bergen, Christiesgate 13, 5000, Bergen, Norway

    D. Bancila

Authors
  1. J. Singhammer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D. Bancila
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. Singhammer.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Singhammer, J., Bancila, D. Associations Between Stressful Events and Self-Reported Mental Health Problems Among Non-Western Immigrants in Denmark. J Immigrant Minority Health 13, 371–378 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-009-9281-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-009-9281-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation