Mortality of migrants from the Indian subcontinent to England and Wales: effect of duration of residence

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined mortality of migrants by duration of residence in the country of destination. METHODS: I examined mortality of South Asian migrants by duration of residence in England and Wales. The cohort (N = 2,272, age 25-54 years in 1971) was followed from 1971 to 2000. RESULTS: All-cause mortality of South Asian migrants increased with increasing duration of residence in England and Wales. A yearly increase in duration of residence was associated with a hazard ratio of 1.07 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02-1.13) among persons ages 25-34 years in 1971, 1.03 (1.00-1.07) among those ages 35-44 years, and 1.02 (1.00-1.05) among those ages 45-54. Cardiovascular disease mortality was the main component of this trend. Yearly increases in duration of residence were associated with cardiovascular disease mortality hazard ratios of 1.09 (1.03-1.16), 1.04 (1.00-1.09) and 1.02 (1.00-1.05) for the youngest, middle and oldest age groups, respectively. Comparable results were seen for coronary heart disease and for cancer mortality. Age at migration was positively related to mortality independent of duration of residence but the confidence intervals were wide. Adjusting for socioeconomic position did not alter these patterns. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiovascular and cancer mortality of South Asian migrants increased with duration of residence in England and Wales.     

BCG vaccination in the first year of life protects children of Indian subcontinent ethnic origin against tuberculosis in England.

STUDY OBJECTIVE--The aim was to assess the protection conferred by BCG given during the first year of life against tuberculosis among children of Asian ethnic origin born in England. DESIGN--This was a matched case-control study. SETTING--Cases were selected from notifications of tuberculosis and controls were selected from child health or school health records in 14 English health districts. PARTICIPANTS--111 cases of childhood tuberculosis with Asian names were selected. For each case there were five controls with Asian names, matched for age, sex and district of birth. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS--Child health or school health records were searched to determine the proportions of cases and controls who had been vaccinated with BCG. Overall, BCG vaccination given in the first year of life was estimated to confer 49% protection against tuberculosis with 95% confidence interval 14-62%. CONCLUSIONS--BCG vaccination in infancy was found to be associated with a lower protective efficacy than has been found for the secondary school age BCG programme (80%) but nevertheless the protection is substantial and, in the United Kingdom, BCG vaccination of infants considered to be at relatively higher risk of tuberculosis is likely to reduce the incidence of childhood tuberculosis.     

Changes in annual tuberculosis notification rates between 1978/79 and 1983 for the population of Indian subcontinent ethnic origin resident in England.

In two national surveys of tuberculosis notifications in England conducted in 1978/79 and 1983 the estimated annual notification rates for the Indian subcontinent (Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi) ethnic groups were considerably higher than the rate for the white ethnic group. The mean annual decline in rates between the surveys appeared to be greater for the Indian and the Pakistani and Bangladeshi ethnic groups, 15% and 16% respectively, than for the white ethnic group (7%). Data from two small sample population surveys, the National Dwelling and Housing Survey in 1978 and the Labour Force Survey in 1983, were used to calculate the rates. However, comparison of the estimates for the population of Indian subcontinent ethnic origin in England from these surveys revealed discrepancies between them. Additional information from the Labour Force Survey on the year of first entry to the United Kingdom (UK) permitted the calculation of new estimates for the 1978 population, and based on these estimates the annual notification rates for 1978/79 were 287 per 100,000 for the Indian and 286 per 100,000 for the Pakistani and Bangladeshi ethnic groups. The rates for 1983 were 178 and 169 respectively, and the mean annual decline between the surveys was 11% for the Indian and 12% for the Pakistani and Bangladeshi ethnic groups. There were important changes in the characteristics of the population of Indian subcontinent ethnic origin in England between 1978 and 1983, and therefore the rates for both surveys have been standardised by the method of direct standardisation to a common reference population. Standardizing for year of entry to the UK, place of birth (UK or abroad), age, and sex reduced the mean annual decline in the notification rate to 4% for the Indian and 9% for the Pakistani and Bangladeshi ethnic groups. The much greater reduction in the rate of decline in the Indian ethnic group is due to the substantial decline between the surveys in the proportion of recent immigrants, the group with the highest annual notification rate, in that population. Future trends will continue to be influenced by immigration patterns, but it will also be important to monitor the rates among the increasing proportion of the population born in the UK or resident in England for more than five years.     

Fatal methadone and heroin overdoses: time trends in England and Wales.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Although the total number of self poisonings in England and Wales has dropped by 32%, the number involving methadone and/or heroin rose by 900% in 1974-92. Because of concern about the role of methadone in this increase, the part played by methadone and heroin in poisoning deaths in England and Wales in 1974-92 was investigated. DESIGN: A proportional mortality design was used to study whether the ratio between deaths involving methadone or heroin and other substances had increased. The time trend was examined with logistic regression. SETTING: England and Wales, 1974-92. SUBJECTS: Accidental, undetermined, and suicidal poisoning deaths (n = 43,231). MAIN RESULTS: The proportions of poisoning deaths involving methadone (alone or in combination with heroin) rose by 80% (95% CI 69%, 92%) per 3 year period. The proportion of poisoning deaths involving heroin without methadone rose by 76% (95% CI 60%, 93%) per 3 year period. Similar results were obtained when poisoning deaths were examined in relation to gender and legal category (suicide and undetermined versus accidental deaths). CONCLUSIONS: The impact of opiate addiction on rates of death by poisoning is rising quickly. This may reflect the growth of the addict population and is an important public health problem. There is no evidence that methadone's involvement in these deaths has risen disproportionately in relation to that of heroin up to 1992.     

Epidemiology of HIV in young people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

We describe the epidemiology of HIV among young people (15-24 years) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (E, W&NI) between 1997 and 2001 inclusive. Rising rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and 'risk' behaviours suggest that they are at increased risk of acquiring HIV. Data from three national surveillance systems are reviewed. Over the period, 1,624 young people were diagnosed with HIV (10% of all new diagnoses). In 1997 there were 254 new diagnoses, rising to 493 in 2001, a 1.9-fold increase. Of the total, 890 (55%) were heterosexually infected (81% female), 631 through sex between men, and the remainder via other routes. Where probable country of infection was reported (1,139), 618 (54%) were infected in Africa and 362 (32%) in the UK. In 1997, 675 young people accessed HIV-related services, rising to 975 in 2001: an increase of 1.4 fold. In 2001, for 34 of those accessing services the likely route of infection was perinatal. Between 1997 and 2001 inclusive, HIV prevalence among young heterosexual genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic attendees was 0.17% (193/116,443), and for young homo/bisexual males, 3.4% (174/5,086). Sixty-five percent (104/159) of previously undiagnosed HIV-infected heterosexuals and 47% (51/108) of previously undiagnosed HIV-infected homo/bisexual males left the clinic unaware of their infection. In 2000 and 2001, overall prevalence was 0.11% (77/70,455) among young women giving birth. HIV diagnoses in young people have increased in recent years, while HIV prevalence among young people attending GUM clinics and giving birth has remained low. However, with dramatic increases in chlamydia rates among young women over the past decade, and the highest rates of gonorrhoea and concurrent partnerships among young people, concern about the potential for HIV transmission remains.     

Hepatitis A virus infection in people of South Asian origin in England and Wales: analysis of laboratory reports between 1992 and 2004

The aim of the study was to determine whether rates of hepatitis A infection are higher in people of South Asian origin compared to the general population, to look for evidence of spread to the general population, and to identify ways to improve preventive strategies. Routine laboratory reports of hepatitis A infection in England and Wales in 1992-2004 were analysed. Study participants were patients with confirmed hepatitis A infection reported to the Health Protection Agency by the diagnosing laboratory. Nam Pehchan software was used to identify patients of South Asian ethnicity. Main outcome measures were comparison of incidence of hepatitis A in South Asian and non-South Asian groups, by age and region. Rates of infection were significantly higher in the South Asian group compared to the non-South Asian group (rate ratio 2.68, 95% confidence interval 2.07-3.47). Patients in the South Asian group had a younger age distribution. Travel was an important risk factor with 85% of those of South Asian origin acquiring their infection abroad, most frequently in the Indian subcontinent, compared to less than one third of those in other groups. Health-care professionals should ensure that all travellers to high-risk countries are protected by hepatitis A vaccination. Targeted information campaigns may be indicated in regions of the United Kingdom for people in South Asian minority ethnic groups.     

Mortality of migrants from the Caribbean to England and Wales: effect of duration of residence

Aim To investigate mortality of Caribbean migrants in England and Wales by duration of residence and age at migration. METHOD: Study members in a national cohort, aged 25-54 years in 1971, were followed up from 1971 to 2000. There were 1540 migrant Caribbeans amongst whom there were 329 deaths during follow-up. Cox regression models were used to analyse mortality from cardiovascular disease and cancers. All results were adjusted for sex and socioeconomic position. RESULTS: All-cause mortality was not related to duration of residence or age at migration at ages 25-34 or 35-44 years in 1971. At ages 45-54 years a pattern of increasing mortality with each additional year of residence prior to 1971 (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.07, 95% CI: 0.95, 1.20, 144 deaths) and with each additional year of age at migration (HR = 1.09, 95% CI: 0.97, 1.22) was observed. Circulatory disease mortality, accounting for 40% of all deaths, contributed to this pattern. At ages 45-54 years, both duration of residence (HR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.44, 62) and age at migration (HR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.49) increased per year of each. Of these deaths, stroke mortality was positively associated with both predictors (HR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.74 for duration of residence and HR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.15, 1.80 for age at migration), a pattern due to effects at ages 45-54 years. Deaths from coronary heart disease showed similar trends in the oldest age cohort. No significant trends were observed for deaths from cancers. CONCLUSION: Circulatory disease mortality in Caribbean migrants increased with increasing duration of residence and age at migration in the oldest age cohort, primarily due to the effects from stroke mortality.     

Endometrial cancer trends in England and Wales: a possible protective effect of oral contraception

Case-control studies have shown that combined oral contraceptives (OCs) are protective against endometrial cancer. In England and Wales, OCs have been on the market for 30 years and widely used for 20 years. Trends in other known risk factors for endometrial cancer would tend to have increased its incidence in that time in women under 55 years of age. Vital statistics however show a decrease for endometrial cancer mortality (41%) and morbidity (15%) in that group. This suggests an important protective effect of OCs on this disease.     

Spatial and temporal patterns in antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella Typhimurium in cattle in England and Wales

SUMMARY Salmonella is the second most commonly reported human foodborne pathogen in England and Wales, and antimicrobial-resistant strains of Salmonella are an increasing problem in both human and veterinary medicine. In this work we used a generalized linear spatial model to estimate the spatial and temporal patterns of antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella Typhimurium in England and Wales. Of the antimicrobials considered we found a common peak in the probability that an S. Typhimurium incident will show resistance to a given antimicrobial in late spring and in mid to late autumn; however, for one of the antimicrobials (streptomycin) there was a sharp drop, over the last 18 months of the period of investigation, in the probability of resistance. We also found a higher probability of resistance in North Wales which is consistent across the antimicrobials considered. This information contributes to our understanding of the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella.     

Urban-rural differences in suicide trends in young adults: England and Wales, 1981-1998

Suicide rates amongst young people, particularly males, have increased in many industrialised countries since the 1960s. There is evidence from some countries that the steepest rises have occurred in rural areas. We have investigated whether similar geographical differences in trends in suicide exist in England and Wales by examining patterns of suicide between 1981 and 1998 in relation to rurality. We used two complementary population-based indices of rurality: (1) population density and (2) population potential (a measure of geographic remoteness from large concentrations of population). We used the electoral ward (n=9264, median population aged 15-44: 1829) as the unit of analysis. To assess whether social and economic factors underlie rural-urban differences in trends we used negative binomial regression models to investigate changes in suicide rates between the years for which detailed national census data were available (1981 and 1991). Over the years studied, the most unfavourable trends in suicide in 15-44-year olds generally occurred in areas remote from the main centres of population; this effect was most marked in 15-24-year-old females. Observed patterns were not explained by changes in age- and sex-specific unemployment, socio-economic deprivation or social fragmentation. The mental health of young adults or other factors influencing suicide risk may have deteriorated more in rural than urban areas in recent years. Explanations for these trends require further investigation.     

Hepatitis E in England and Wales

In 2005, 329 cases of hepatitis E virus infection were confirmed in England and Wales; 33 were confirmed indigenous infections, and a further 67 were estimated to be indigenous infections. Hepatitis E should be considered in the investigation of patients with hepatitis even if they have no history of travel.     

Comparison of trends in method-specific suicide rates in Australia and England & Wales, 1968-97

OBJECTIVE: To compare secular trends in method-specific suicide rates among young people in Australia and England & Wales between 1968 and 1997. METHODS: Australian data were obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and for England & Wales from the Office for National Statistics. Overall and method-specific suicide rates for 15-34 year old males and females were calculated using ICD codes E950-9 and E980-9 except E988.8. RESULTS: In both settings, suicide rates have almost doubled in young males over the past 30 years (from 16.8 to 32.9 per 100,000 in Australia and from 10.1 to 19.0 in England & Wales). Overall rates have changed little in young females. In both sexes and in both settings there have been substantial increases in suicide by hanging (5-7 fold increase in Australia and four-fold increase in England & Wales). There have also been smaller increases in gassing in the 1980s and '90s. In females, the impact of these increases on overall rates has been offset by a decline in drug overdose, the most common method in females. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of male suicide have increased substantially in both settings in recent years, and hanging has become an increasingly common method of suicide. The similarity in observed trends in both settings supports the view that such changes may have common causes. Research should focus on understanding why hanging has increased in popularity and what measures may be taken to diminish it.