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Mortality Rates Among Arab Americans in Michigan

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Abstract

The objectives of this study were to: (1) calculate age-specific and age-adjusted cause-specific mortality rates for Arab Americans; and (2) compare these rates with those for blacks and whites. Mortality rates were estimated using Michigan death certificate data, an Arab surname and first name list, and 2000 U.S. Census data. Age-specific rates, age-adjusted all-cause and cause-specific rates were calculated. Arab Americans (75+) had higher mortality rates than whites and blacks. Among men, all-cause and cause-specific mortality rates for Arab Americans were in the range of whites and blacks. However, Arab American men had lower mortality rates from cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease compared to both whites and blacks. Among women, Arab Americans had lower mortality rates from heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes than whites and blacks. Arab Americans are growing in number. Future study should focus on designing rigorous separate analyses for this population.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Michael Beebe from the Michigan Department of Community Health for providing the mortality data and calculating mortality rates for whites and blacks in Michigan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Wellness, Health Promotion and Injury Prevention, School of Health Sciences, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, 48309-4482, USA

    Florence J. Dallo

  2. Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA

    Kendra Schwartz, Julie J. Ruterbusch & Jason Booza

  3. School of Public Health and Department of African and African American Studies, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA

    David R. Williams

Authors
  1. Florence J. Dallo
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  2. Kendra Schwartz
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  3. Julie J. Ruterbusch
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  4. Jason Booza
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  5. David R. Williams
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Correspondence to Florence J. Dallo.

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Dallo, F.J., Schwartz, K., Ruterbusch, J.J. et al. Mortality Rates Among Arab Americans in Michigan. J Immigrant Minority Health 14, 236–241 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-011-9441-1

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