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Immigrant enclaves and risk of drug involvement among asylum-seeking immigrants in Sweden : A quasi-experimental study

Mezuk, Briana LU ; Ohlsson, Henrik LU ; Cederin, Klas LU ; Sundquist, Jan LU ; Kendler, Kenneth S. and Sundquist, Kristina LU (2019) In Drug and Alcohol Dependence 205.
Abstract

Background: Sweden is a major host nation for asylum-seeking immigrants, and residential placement of these immigrants is an important policy concern. This quasi-experimental study estimated of the impact of being placed into an “immigrant enclave” on risk of officially-recognized drug involvement (ORDI) among asylum-seeking immigrants over a 15-year period. Methods: All data come from Swedish registries. The sample consisted of (a) asylum-seeking immigrants aged 5–35 years old at arrival (N = 51,017) that were subject to a nationwide policy (enforced 1987–1991) that dispersed asylum-seeking immigrants across municipalities, and (b) native-born Swedes aged 15 and older during this same period (N = 1,040,311). Neighborhood immigrant... (More)

Background: Sweden is a major host nation for asylum-seeking immigrants, and residential placement of these immigrants is an important policy concern. This quasi-experimental study estimated of the impact of being placed into an “immigrant enclave” on risk of officially-recognized drug involvement (ORDI) among asylum-seeking immigrants over a 15-year period. Methods: All data come from Swedish registries. The sample consisted of (a) asylum-seeking immigrants aged 5–35 years old at arrival (N = 51,017) that were subject to a nationwide policy (enforced 1987–1991) that dispersed asylum-seeking immigrants across municipalities, and (b) native-born Swedes aged 15 and older during this same period (N = 1,040,311). Neighborhood immigrant composition was quantified using the Reardon Index; residents of “immigrant enclave” neighborhoods (n = 960) were compared to residents of all other neighborhoods (n = 2,471). Cox proportional hazards models assessed the relationship between living in an enclave and risk of ORDI, identified by national registries, through 2015. Results: Overall, 29.7% of immigrants were assigned to, and 25.5% of Swedes lived in, an enclave. Cumulative incidence of ORDI in enclaves was 6.34% as compared to 6.89% in other neighborhoods. Immigrants living in an enclave had lower risk of ORDI (Hazard ratio (HR): 0.86, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.77 – 0.96). This protective association was marginally stronger in lower poverty areas. Native-born Swedes living in an enclave had higher risk of ORDI (HR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.03–1.08), a relationship that was exacerbated by neighborhood poverty. Conclusions: Neighborhood immigrant composition is associated with risk of ORDI, with differential associations for immigrants and native-born populations.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Immigration, Neighborhood, Segregation, Substance abuse
in
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
volume
205
article number
107666
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85074496531
  • pmid:31710993
ISSN
0376-8716
DOI
10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.107666
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
35bd7f6c-2ab8-483a-91a1-bd75a2823e11
date added to LUP
2019-11-15 14:02:28
date last changed
2024-06-26 06:30:23
@article{35bd7f6c-2ab8-483a-91a1-bd75a2823e11,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Sweden is a major host nation for asylum-seeking immigrants, and residential placement of these immigrants is an important policy concern. This quasi-experimental study estimated of the impact of being placed into an “immigrant enclave” on risk of officially-recognized drug involvement (ORDI) among asylum-seeking immigrants over a 15-year period. Methods: All data come from Swedish registries. The sample consisted of (a) asylum-seeking immigrants aged 5–35 years old at arrival (N = 51,017) that were subject to a nationwide policy (enforced 1987–1991) that dispersed asylum-seeking immigrants across municipalities, and (b) native-born Swedes aged 15 and older during this same period (N = 1,040,311). Neighborhood immigrant composition was quantified using the Reardon Index; residents of “immigrant enclave” neighborhoods (n = 960) were compared to residents of all other neighborhoods (n = 2,471). Cox proportional hazards models assessed the relationship between living in an enclave and risk of ORDI, identified by national registries, through 2015. Results: Overall, 29.7% of immigrants were assigned to, and 25.5% of Swedes lived in, an enclave. Cumulative incidence of ORDI in enclaves was 6.34% as compared to 6.89% in other neighborhoods. Immigrants living in an enclave had lower risk of ORDI (Hazard ratio (HR): 0.86, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.77 – 0.96). This protective association was marginally stronger in lower poverty areas. Native-born Swedes living in an enclave had higher risk of ORDI (HR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.03–1.08), a relationship that was exacerbated by neighborhood poverty. Conclusions: Neighborhood immigrant composition is associated with risk of ORDI, with differential associations for immigrants and native-born populations.</p>}},
  author       = {{Mezuk, Briana and Ohlsson, Henrik and Cederin, Klas and Sundquist, Jan and Kendler, Kenneth S. and Sundquist, Kristina}},
  issn         = {{0376-8716}},
  keywords     = {{Immigration; Neighborhood; Segregation; Substance abuse}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Drug and Alcohol Dependence}},
  title        = {{Immigrant enclaves and risk of drug involvement among asylum-seeking immigrants in Sweden : A quasi-experimental study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.107666}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.107666}},
  volume       = {{205}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}