Patterns of mortality in second generation Irish living in England and Wales: longitudinal study

• Published in: BMJ Vol. 312; no. 7043; pp. 1389 - 1392
• Main Authors: Harding, S, Balarajan, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London British Medical Journal Publishing Group 01.06.1996; British Medical Association; BMJ Publishing Group Ltd; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Publishing Group; BMJ Group
• Edition: International edition
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Analysis. Health state; Biological and medical sciences; Cause of Death; Censuses; Death; Emigration and Immigration; England - epidemiology; Epidemiology; Female; General aspects; Health aspects; Humans; Ireland - ethnology; Irish; Irish (European people); Irish culture; Irish immigration; Lifestyles; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Medical sciences; Men; Middle Aged; Minority & ethnic groups; Mortality; Northern Ireland - ethnology; Patient outcomes; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Sex Factors; Social Class; Social classes; Social generations; Social status; Socioeconomic Factors; Standard of living; Survival Rate; Time Factors; United Kingdom; Wales - epidemiology; England; United Kingdom; Great Britain; Europe; Wales; Northern Ireland; Ireland; Human; Etiology; Mortality; Epidemiology; Public health; Incidence; Irish
• ISSN: 0959-8138; 0959-8146; 1468-5833; 1756-1833
• DOI: 10.1136/bmj.312.7043.1389

Abstract Objective: To examine the mortality of second generation Irish living in England and Wales. Design: Longitudinal study of 1% of the population of England and Wales (longitudinal study by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (now the Office for National Statistics)) followed up from 1971 to 1989. Subjects: 3075 men and 3233 women aged 15 and over in 1971. Main outcome measures: Age and sex specific standardised mortality ratios for all causes, cancers, coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, and injuries and poisonings. Deaths were also analysed by socioeconomic indicators. Results: 786 deaths were traced to men and 762 to women. At working ages (men, aged 15-64; women, 15-59) the mortality of men (standardised mortality ratio 126) and women (129) was significantly higher than that of all men and all women. At ages 15-44, relative disadvantages were even greater both for men (145) and for women (164). Mortality was raised for most major causes of death. Significant excess mortality from cancers was seen for men of working age (132) and for women aged 60 and over (122). At working ages mortality of the second generation Irish in every social class and in the categories of car access and housing tenure was higher than that of all men and all women in the corresponding categories. Adjusting for these socioeconomic indicators did not explain the excess mortality. Conclusion: Mortality of second generation Irish men and women was higher than that of all men and all women and for most major causes of death. While socioeconomic factors remain important, cultural and lifestyle factors are likely to contribute to this adverse mortality. Key messages Mortality is raised for most major causes of death, with a significant excess from cancers Adjustment for social class, car access, and housing tenure did not explain the excess in all cause mortality With over two million second generation Irish and growing numbers of a third generation, their health needs special consideration