Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Mental symptoms, psychotropic drug use and alcohol consumption in immigrated middle-aged women. The Women's Health in Lund Area (WHILA) Study.

Rundberg, Jenny LU ; Lidfeldt, Jonas LU ; Nerbrand, Christina LU ; Samsioe, Göran LU ; Samsioe, Anders and Öjehagen, Agneta LU (2006) In Nordic Journal of Psychiatry 60(6). p.480-485
Abstract
This study aims to analyse mental symptoms, psychotropic drug use and alcohol consumption, in immigrant women born in Finland, the other Nordic countries, Eastern Europe, Western Europe and countries outside Europe, compared with Swedish-born women, and furthermore, to study if age at immigration may have an influence. All women (n = 10,766) aged 50 - 59 years and living in the Lund area of southern Sweden received a postal invitation to a health survey named the Women's Health in Lund Area; 64.2% (n = 6917) participated. The participants answered a questionnaire including prevalence of mental symptoms during the past 3 months, regular use of psychotropic drugs, alcohol consumption during an average week, country of birth and age at... (More)
This study aims to analyse mental symptoms, psychotropic drug use and alcohol consumption, in immigrant women born in Finland, the other Nordic countries, Eastern Europe, Western Europe and countries outside Europe, compared with Swedish-born women, and furthermore, to study if age at immigration may have an influence. All women (n = 10,766) aged 50 - 59 years and living in the Lund area of southern Sweden received a postal invitation to a health survey named the Women's Health in Lund Area; 64.2% (n = 6917) participated. The participants answered a questionnaire including prevalence of mental symptoms during the past 3 months, regular use of psychotropic drugs, alcohol consumption during an average week, country of birth and age at immigration. Severe mental symptoms were more common among most immigrant groups compared with native Swedes, but the association to country of birth was not significant after adjustment for possible confounders. Regular use of hypnotics was more common among Nordic immigrants only (odds ration, OR = 4.4). East European and non-European immigrants less often were alcohol consumers (OR = 1.6 and OR = 3.8). Heavy drinking was more common among non-Nordic immigrants who immigrated at a younger age than at an older age. Furthermore, it was found that although East European and non-European immigrants had a higher educational level, they were less often gainfully employed compared with native Swedes. In middle-aged women, country of birth as well as age at immigration are important factors to consider in relation to alcohol consumption, but these factors may be of less importance considering mental health. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
psychotropic drugs, female population, alcohol consumption, immigrant, mental symptoms
in
Nordic Journal of Psychiatry
volume
60
issue
6
pages
480 - 485
publisher
Informa Healthcare
external identifiers
  • wos:000242517000008
  • scopus:33845400360
ISSN
1502-4725
DOI
10.1080/08039480601022082
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
84593b87-229c-4b78-916b-14cb0df97938 (old id 164058)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17162456&dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:00:34
date last changed
2022-01-26 21:28:29
@article{84593b87-229c-4b78-916b-14cb0df97938,
  abstract     = {{This study aims to analyse mental symptoms, psychotropic drug use and alcohol consumption, in immigrant women born in Finland, the other Nordic countries, Eastern Europe, Western Europe and countries outside Europe, compared with Swedish-born women, and furthermore, to study if age at immigration may have an influence. All women (n = 10,766) aged 50 - 59 years and living in the Lund area of southern Sweden received a postal invitation to a health survey named the Women's Health in Lund Area; 64.2% (n = 6917) participated. The participants answered a questionnaire including prevalence of mental symptoms during the past 3 months, regular use of psychotropic drugs, alcohol consumption during an average week, country of birth and age at immigration. Severe mental symptoms were more common among most immigrant groups compared with native Swedes, but the association to country of birth was not significant after adjustment for possible confounders. Regular use of hypnotics was more common among Nordic immigrants only (odds ration, OR = 4.4). East European and non-European immigrants less often were alcohol consumers (OR = 1.6 and OR = 3.8). Heavy drinking was more common among non-Nordic immigrants who immigrated at a younger age than at an older age. Furthermore, it was found that although East European and non-European immigrants had a higher educational level, they were less often gainfully employed compared with native Swedes. In middle-aged women, country of birth as well as age at immigration are important factors to consider in relation to alcohol consumption, but these factors may be of less importance considering mental health.}},
  author       = {{Rundberg, Jenny and Lidfeldt, Jonas and Nerbrand, Christina and Samsioe, Göran and Samsioe, Anders and Öjehagen, Agneta}},
  issn         = {{1502-4725}},
  keywords     = {{psychotropic drugs; female population; alcohol consumption; immigrant; mental symptoms}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{480--485}},
  publisher    = {{Informa Healthcare}},
  series       = {{Nordic Journal of Psychiatry}},
  title        = {{Mental symptoms, psychotropic drug use and alcohol consumption in immigrated middle-aged women. The Women's Health in Lund Area (WHILA) Study.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08039480601022082}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/08039480601022082}},
  volume       = {{60}},
  year         = {{2006}},
}