ACCULTURATION AND THE HEALTH BEHAVIOR OF VIETNAMESE, SOMALIS, ESTONIANS AND RUSSIANS LIVING IN FINLAND IN 2002
GARBRAH, WILLIAM (2011)
GARBRAH, WILLIAM
2011
International Health, HES
Lääketieteen yksikkö - School of Medicine
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2011-04-04
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:uta-1-21260
https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:uta-1-21260
Tiivistelmä
Introduction: Finland like many other countries is no longer a homogeneous country. The proportion of immigrants residing in Finland has increased more than five folds in the last two decades. Immigrants’ health therefore, will continue to be a matter of interest to investigate. There is enough evidence suggesting that acculturation influence the health and health behavior of migrant origin groups. Cultural and ethnicity are pre-existing determinants of life style choices and it is generally accepted that, health behaviors is influence by one’s cultural background.
Objectives: Using a survey conducted by Statistics Finland on the living conditions of Vietnamese, Somalis, Estonians and Russians living in Finland in 2002, the current study disentangle the association between acculturation and the health behavior and body mass index of the selected migrants.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional study comprising of a structured interview for Vietnamese (n=193) and Somalis (n=324) and postal questionnaire for Estonians (n=312) and Russians (n= 532). Cross tabulation was used to analyses the association between acculturation and the health behavior of the migrants. Pearson's chi-square test was used to measure the statistical power of the associations and significance was determined at the 0.05 level.
Results: The findings revealed ethnic differences in the health behavior of the migrants. Daily smoking was very high among Vietnamese men in Finland, especially among those who are less acculturated. There is some evidence that daily smoking and alcohol use increases among Somalis (both genders) and Vietnamese women who are more acculturated. Alcohol use was high among Russians and Estonians. The acculturation effect on the use of alcohol among Russians and Estonians did not point to any direction.
Conclusions: Acculturation has an effect on migrants’ health behavior in many ways. Being a Vietnamese, Somali, Estonian or Russian to some extend could determine the acculturation effect on the health behavior of the migrants. The association between acculturation and health behavior is gender specific for some ethnic minorities.
Key words: Acculturation, health behavior, migrant, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity and body mass index
Objectives: Using a survey conducted by Statistics Finland on the living conditions of Vietnamese, Somalis, Estonians and Russians living in Finland in 2002, the current study disentangle the association between acculturation and the health behavior and body mass index of the selected migrants.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional study comprising of a structured interview for Vietnamese (n=193) and Somalis (n=324) and postal questionnaire for Estonians (n=312) and Russians (n= 532). Cross tabulation was used to analyses the association between acculturation and the health behavior of the migrants. Pearson's chi-square test was used to measure the statistical power of the associations and significance was determined at the 0.05 level.
Results: The findings revealed ethnic differences in the health behavior of the migrants. Daily smoking was very high among Vietnamese men in Finland, especially among those who are less acculturated. There is some evidence that daily smoking and alcohol use increases among Somalis (both genders) and Vietnamese women who are more acculturated. Alcohol use was high among Russians and Estonians. The acculturation effect on the use of alcohol among Russians and Estonians did not point to any direction.
Conclusions: Acculturation has an effect on migrants’ health behavior in many ways. Being a Vietnamese, Somali, Estonian or Russian to some extend could determine the acculturation effect on the health behavior of the migrants. The association between acculturation and health behavior is gender specific for some ethnic minorities.
Key words: Acculturation, health behavior, migrant, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity and body mass index