Immigrants In Sweden Research Articles

"The car is my extra legs" - Experiences of outdoor mobility amongst immigrants in Sweden with late effects of polio.

BackgroundThe aim of the study was to describe the experience of outdoor mobility among immigrants with late effects of polio living in Sweden. There is a need to understand more about this young group of persons since they often have problems with mobility and gait, but they may also face participation restrictions due to issues associated with integration into a new community and culture.MethodA total of 14 young immigrants with late effects of polio participated and were interviewed individually. The study used a qualitative method to explore personal experiences and the interviews were analyzed through an inductive approach, using qualitative content analysis.ResultsThe analysis led to a major theme; self-image and acceptance, that comprised a changeable process and experiences of cultural, social, and gender-specific barriers, but also of environmental and personal factors that impacted their outdoor mobility. By using a car, the participants felt they could come across as normal which also increased their self-esteem.ConclusionsIndependent mobility is a major enabler for ongoing employment and being able to use a car increases the chances for integration into society for young immigrants with late effects of polio. Public transport is not considered to be adequate or efficient enough due to the participants’ mobility impairments, but driving can prevent involuntary isolation and facilitate participation. A car can increase quality of life but may also be a facilitator for work and reduce the demand for societal support.

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

BackgroundSweden 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. MethodsAll 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. ResultsOverall, 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. ConclusionsNeighborhood immigrant composition is associated with risk of ORDI, with differential associations for immigrants and native-born populations.

Door openers? Public officials as supportive actors in the labour market participation of descendants of immigrants in Sweden

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to examine how employed descendants of immigrants in Sweden perceive that interactions with public officials have benefitted their occupational aspirations and attainments. We conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews with twelve female and nine male descendants of immigrants, followed by an abductive thematic analysis. Applying a theoretical framework of social capital, we found three main influences of public officials from respondents’ perspectives: 1) connectedness, 2) supporting personal goals and focusing on possibilities, and 3) mediation of knowledge and information. We discuss and analyse the symbolic resources deriving from these influences, e.g. increased motivation and self-belief, and conceptualize these resources as social capital contributing to the occupational aspirations and attainments of immigrants’ descendants.

Constructions of self-identification: children of immigrants in Sweden

ABSTRACT This paper is about self-identification by a sample of young people with various migrant backgrounds in Sweden. In a survey we asked them how they present themselves to others in different contexts (in their schools and neighbourhoods or when they are out of Sweden). Our findings suggest that young people’s identification is not fixed. The paths to these various forms of identification are shaped by a variety of individual (class background, parents’ country of origin) and social factors (friendship networks and school composition). The results indicate that those who identified themselves as Swedish or hyphenated tended to be quite similar as regards their other characteristics, while those who presented themselves with the parents’ birth country or religious affiliation have very little in common.

Epilepsy in second-generation immigrants: a cohort study of all children up to 18 years of age in Sweden.

Our purpose was to study the association between country of birth and incident epilepsy in second-generation immigrants in Sweden. The study population included all children (n=4023149) aged up to 18years in Sweden. Epilepsy was defined as at least one registered diagnosis of epilepsy in the National Patient Register. The incidence of epilepsy, using individuals with Swedish-born parents as referents, was assessed by Cox regression, expressed in hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). All models were stratified by sex and adjusted for age, geographical residence in Sweden, educational level, marital status, neighbourhood socioeconomic status and comorbid conditions, also using data from the Total Population Register. A total of 26310 individuals had a registered epilepsy event, i.e. 6.5/1000 (6.6/1000 amongst boys and 6.3/1000 amongst girls). After adjustment, the risk of epilepsy was lower than in children of Swedish-born parents. Amongst girls the significant HR was 0.85 (95% CI 0.81-0.88), but in boys only when adjusting also for comorbidity (HR0.96, 95% CI 0.92-0.99). Amongst specific immigrant groups, a higher incidence of epilepsy was observed amongst boys with parents from Turkey and Africa, but not when adjusting for comorbidity, and a lower risk was observed in many other groups (boys with parents from Latvia, girls with parents from Finland, Iceland, Southern Europe, countries from the former Yugoslavia, and Asia). The risk of epilepsy was lower in second-generation immigrant children compared to children with Swedish-born parents, but with substantial differences between different immigrant groups.

Naturalization in a Context of Free Mobility: Evidence from Cross-National Data on Finnish Immigrants in Sweden

Using unique longitudinal microdata linking administrative records from Sweden and Finland, we study how immigrant naturalization relates to cultural proximity. We analyze how Swedish citizenship acquisition depends on mother tongue by comparing Swedish-speaking and Finnish-speaking immigrants from Finland, who arrived in Sweden in 1988–2004, and contrast with other Nordic-born immigrants. We treat return migration and naturalization as two elements in the decision process of immigrants, being the first to estimate competing risks models for naturalization and return migration for the same study group of persons. The setting of free mobility in the Nordic countries, together with economic, political and social similarities, implies that the direct benefits of naturalization are modest and the same for all Nordic-born immigrants in Sweden. Thus, we assess naturalization in an analytical framework where many confounding factors are circumvented and in which the study groups have grown up in the similar institutional setting. Swedish-speaking Finns are found to have an approximately 30 percent higher standardized risk of naturalization than Finnish-speaking Finns, and a 2.5 times higher risk as compared to people from the other Nordic countries. We argue that these differentials reflect the degree to which the groups broadly differ in affinity with Sweden.

Experiences and perceptions of infant dental enucleation among Somali immigrants in Sweden: a phenomenographic study

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore and describe ways of experiencing and perceiving the Eastern African practice of infant dental enucleation (IDE) among immigrants of Somali origin living in Sweden.Material and methods: Six informants, three men and three women aged 26–54 years, were recruited for semi-structured individual interviews. Phenomenographic analysis of the interview transcripts was performed.Findings: Informants described four ways of experiencing and perceiving IDE: as an effective, necessary treatment; as a disputed tradition; as an alternative to failure; and as a desperate measure. The experiences and perceptions were highly influenced by the contexts the informants had been in, namely, communities in which traditional treatments were used frequently, in which other people were influential over their daily lives, and in which negative experiences of formal health care were common, as well as other difficult circumstances beyond the informants’ individual control.Conclusions: The findings contribute to deepened understanding of IDE and the importance of context to the practice of it. Further, the findings deepen understanding of the decision to have the practice performed on infants, which may help dental and health care personnel to adequately communicate with individuals of Somali origin about the harmfulness of IDE.

Интеграция иммигрантов в Швеции (социально-политический аспект)

Интеграция иммигрантов в Швеции (социально-политический аспект)

Self-perceived mobility in immigrants in Sweden living with the late effects of polio

Purpose: To investigate outdoor mobility of immigrants in Sweden who are living with the late effects of polio.Materials and methods: A total of 145 patients with late effects of polio born outside the Nordic region were identified at an outpatient polio clinic. Of these, 74 completed a questionnaire about their mobility and independence in daily life, self-perceived pain and depression, vocational status, mobility assistive devices/aids, transportation modes and driving. Patient characteristics were based on medical records supplied by physicians.Results: Twice as many patients had lower extremities that were affected by polio than upper extremities. This affected their use of different transport modes and caused mobility and transfer problems. Indeed, 39% needed mobility aids and help from another person to move outdoors. Those who reported dependence for outdoor mobility were more often unemployed and more often depressed.Conclusions: Many respondents reported having difficulties with transport mobility, but a large proportion, 57%, were independent and active drivers. It is important to consider outdoor mobility when planning rehabilitation for patients with late effects of polio and foreign backgrounds. In addition to psychosocial factors, dependence on mobility-related activities can lead to dependency and isolation.Implications for rehabilitationOutdoor mobility and access to transport modes are important for independence and an active life and need to be included in the rehabilitation process.Both personal and environmental factors, can contribute to mobility problems of people with foreign backgrounds, who are living with the late effects of polio.Factors such as cultural, social and gender aspects are important when planning suitable and individualized rehabilitation.

The Effects of Recognition of Foreign Education for Newly Arrived Immigrants

AbstractWe analyze the effects of formal recognition of foreign higher education on employment probabilities and earnings for newly arrived immigrants in Sweden. Prior research has found that immigrants have lower returns on education if it was acquired in the country of origin than if it was acquired in the host country. One reason for this is that foreign credentials work poorly as productivity signals and risk-averse employers avoid employees with credentials they do not fully understand. A formal recognition statement can help overcome this problem by providing credible information about the foreign education, thus reducing uncertainty. Data consists of immigrants who, within the first ten years of residence in Sweden, had their foreign degree formally recognized during 2007–2011. Using fixed effects regressions, we estimate the treatment effect of official recognition to be 4.4 percentage points higher probability of being employed, and 13.9 log points higher wage for those with employment. We also find considerable treatment effect heterogeneity across subcategories of immigrants from different regions of origin, with different reasons for immigration and who obtained recognition during different economic conditions. Our conclusions are that the mechanism of employer uncertainty is real, and that recognition does reduce it. But as the signal of foreign education becomes better, other mechanisms such as human capital transferability problems and quality differences, and the ability to use foreign human capital, become more salient, leading to heterogeneous effects.

Effects of a randomized, culturally adapted, lifestyle intervention on mental health among Middle-Eastern immigrants.

Middle-Eastern immigrants in Sweden are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and poor mental health. Physical activity not only prevents/delays onset of T2D but also shows favorable effects on mental health. However, the effects of a culturally adapted lifestyle intervention on mental health among Middle-Eastern immigrants have not been explored before. We aimed to study the effects of a randomized controlled, culturally adapted lifestyle intervention on anxiety and depression levels in diabetes-prone Iraqi immigrants. Participants (n = 96) were randomized to intervention group, IG (n = 50) or control group, CG (n = 46). The IG received seven group sessions addressing lifestyle change and the CG received treatment as usual. Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS-S) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) assessed mental health at start, mid (2 months) and end of the study (4 months). Proportional odds ratio (OR) model was used to study the effect of the intervention. The odds of scoring lower on MADRS-S and HADS depression scale at visit 3 vs. baseline were higher in the IG compared to the CG (MADRS-S OR 5.9, 95% CI: 1.6-22.5; HADS OR 4.4, 95% CI: 0.9-20.3). The findings persisted after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, time since migration, sedentary lifestyle and language spoken at home. Group differences were non-significant at visit 2 vs. baseline. A culturally adapted lifestyle intervention addressing T2D prevention in Middle-Eastern immigrants has favorable effects on mental health. The effect was more pronounced at the 4 months than at 2 months follow-up, indicating beneficial effect of longer study duration. www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT01420198.

Unpacking Attitudes on Immigrants and Refugees: A Focus on Household Composition and News Media Consumption

This study examines how household composition and news media consumption and trust are related to attitudes towards two minority groups—immigrants and refugees—in a representative sample of the adult population (n = 6000) in Belgium, Sweden, France, and the Netherlands. We find that Swedes hold the most positive attitudes towards both groups, while the French are found to be most negative. The Belgians and Dutch hold moderate attitudes. There is also evidence that attitudes on refugees are more negative than attitudes on immigrants in Sweden and France, but not in Belgium and the Netherlands. Using structural equation modeling, we find that household composition is not directly related to attitudes, but indirect effects through socio-economic status and media consumption indicate that singles hold more negative attitudes than couples. Public television consumption, popular online news consumption, and trust in media are positively related to attitudes, whereas commercial television consumption is negatively associated with them.

Internet-based treatment of depressive symptoms in a Kurdish population: A randomized controlled trial.

Kurdish immigrants in Sweden have a doubled risk of mental health problems, and refugee and immigrant populations underutilize mental health services. The present study investigated the efficacy of culturally adapted guided internet-based cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) for depressive symptoms in a Kurdish population. We included 50 individuals who were randomized to either an 8-week treatment or a wait-list. The Beck Depression Inventory-II was the primary outcome measure, and measures of anxiety and insomnia were secondary outcomes. Depressive symptoms were significantly reduced (intention-to-treat analysis) in the treatment group, with a between-group effect size at posttreatment of Cohen's d = 1.27. Moderate to large between-group effects were also observed on all secondary outcome measures. Treatment effects were sustained at 11-month follow-up. The results provide preliminary support for culturally adapted ICBT as a complement to other treatment formats for treating symptoms of depression in a Kurdish population.

Measles and rubella seroimmunity in newly arrived adult immigrants in Sweden

Background: International migrants could be considered as a risk group for being susceptible to vaccine preventable diseases such as measles and rubella. However, data on immunity in different migrant groups are scarce. Apart from asylum seekers and refugees, other immigrant groups might also be at risk. We have examined measles and rubella specific IgG antibodies among newly arrived adult immigrants in Skåne region in southern Sweden. In contrast to children, adult immigrants are not offered catch-up vaccinations after arrival.Methods: Stored serum samples from 989 asylum seekers and 984 pregnant women from the antenatal screening program, who had recently settled in Sweden, were analyzed for specific measles and rubella IgG-antibodies. Sex, age, reason for screening and geographic origin were variables entered into a multivariate regression model.Results: There were considerable differences in seroimmunity to measles with regard to geographic origin (44–97%). Measles seroimmunity gaps were most prominent in immigrants from some European regions such as the Baltic countries, the former Yugoslavia and the Newly Independent States and Russia. Seroprotection for rubella varied less between geographic regions (90–99%).Conclusion: Susceptibility to measles among adult immigrants arriving in Sweden varies considerably depending on their geographic origin. Vaccinations against measles and rubella should be offered to groups of immigrants who might be incompletely immunized.

Development of an Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Self-Help Program for Arabic-Speaking Immigrants: Mixed-Methods Study.

BackgroundRecent years have seen an increase in Arabic-speaking immigrants in Sweden and other European countries, with research showing this group to suffer from elevated levels of various forms of psychological disorders. There is a lack of treatment options for immigrants with mild to moderate mental health problems, with barriers including lack of accessible services and concerns that problems will not be understood by health care providers.ObjectiveThis study aims to describe the process of developing a transdiagnostic internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy self-help program in Arabic for mild to moderate symptoms of common psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia.MethodsThe iterative development process, including feedback from 105 pilot users as well as 2 focus groups, is described.ResultsOverall, the modules were rated as acceptable by the pilot users, with overall ratings ranging from 3 to 4 points on average for the respective modules on a 5-point Likert scale. Feedback from the 2 focus groups was overall positive with regard to the content and structure of the program but also included suggestions for improving the Arabic translation as well as the usability of the material.ConclusionsAn internet-based self-help program that is deemed acceptable by an Arabic-speaking audience can be successfully developed, thus providing increased access to psychological help for an at-risk population. However, further research regarding the efficacy of this type of intervention is warranted.

School trajectories of the second generation of Turkish immigrants in Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria, and Germany: The role of school systems

In this article, we aim to explain the school careers of the second generation of Turkish immigrants in nine cities in five Western European countries and show the influence of the national school systems ranging from comprehensive to hierarchical tracking structures. We apply sequence analyses, optimal matching, and cluster analyses to define school trajectories complemented with propensity score matching to study the differences between young adults of different origin. Participants were 4516 young adults of Turkish second generation and native origin aged between 18 and 35. Findings show that the school system makes a difference for school careers: (1) in rigid systems with higher differentiation and early tracking, the gap between the second-generation and native school trajectories begins to unfold early in the school career; (2) in the rigid systems, the track in which students enter secondary education determine the routes they take as well as their final outcomes; and (3) more open systems allow for “second-chance” opportunities for immigrant students to improve their track placement. However, across school systems, second-generation youth follow more often non-academic or short school careers, while native youth follow academic careers. When individual and family background are controlled via propensity score matching, the ethnic gap is explained better in more stratified systems highlighting the important role of family background in more stratified school systems.

Political Integration in Practice: Explaining a Time-Dependent Increase in Political Knowledge among Immigrants in Sweden

Scholarly findings suggest that immigrants in Western countries, in general, participate less in politics and show lower levels of political efficacy than native-born citizens. Research is scarce, however, when it comes to immigrants’ knowledge about politics and public affairs in their new home country, and what happens with this knowledge over the years. This article focuses on immigrants in Sweden, a country known for ambitious multicultural policies, but where immigrants also face disadvantages in areas such as labor and housing markets. Utilizing particularly suitable survey data we find that immigrants, in general, know less about Swedish politics than natives, but also that this difference disappears with time. Exploring the influence of time of residence on political knowledge, the article shows that the positive effect of time in Sweden among immigrants remains after controlling for an extensive set of background factors. Moreover, the article examines this political learning effect through the lens of an Ability–Motivation–Opportunity (AMO) model. The findings suggest that the development of an actual ability to learn about Swedish politics—via education in Sweden, and by improved Swedish language skills—is an especially important explanation for the increase in political knowledge.

Vitamin D is associated with lower limb muscle strength and grip strength in Middle Eastern- and African-born immigrants in Sweden

There is increasing evidence that vitamin D status is associated with muscle function. Vitamin D deficiency is common in immigrants. We hypothesized that there was a positive association between vitamin D status and muscle strength in immigrants. The aim of this study was to examine associations between vitamin D status and muscle strength in an immigrant population in Sweden. All immigrants aged 25-65 years, born in 9 African or Middle East countries, and living in a district in Umeå (n = 1306) were invited. A total of 111 men and 105 women (16.5%) completed the study. Lower limb muscle strength was examined using a standardized muscle function indices of muscle strength. Grip strength was examined using a JAMAR hand dynamometer. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] was measured using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The analyses were adjusted for sex, age, height, body mass index, years since immigration, 25(OH)D, vitamin D deficiency, physical activity, and medical and socioeconomic factors. Twelve percent of the immigrants had vitamin D deficiency [25(OH)D levels <25 nmol/L]. In multivariable analyses, reduced lower limb muscle strength remained linearly associated with lower 25(OH)D concentrations (P = .008) and weaker grip strength remained associated with vitamin D deficiency (P = .022) after adjustments. The association between vitamin D deficiency and reduced lower limb muscle strength did not reach statistical significance (P = .052). The results demonstrate that vitamin D deficiency and low 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with muscle weakness in immigrants.

Personal networks and crime victimization among Swedish youth

ABSTRACTWe combine routine activity theory, lifestyle-victimization theory, and a social network perspective to examine crime victimization. In particular, we study to what extent crime victimization is associated with having close contacts who have been victimized and/or who engage in risky lifestyles. We use the data (collected in 2014) of 1,051 native Swedes and 1,108 Iranian and Yugoslavian first- or second-generation immigrants in Sweden who were all born in 1990. They were asked to describe their personal characteristics, various behaviours, and past personal experiences with crime victimization, as well as those of the five persons with whom they most often spend their leisure time. Our findings support the network perspective: crime victimization is negatively associated with the number of close contacts an individual mentions but is substantially more likely for those who have many close contacts who have themselves been victimized. In terms of a risky lifestyle that may enhance the likelihood of being victimized, we found only that individuals who get drunk frequently were at somewhat higher risk of being victimized. To guard young individuals against crime victimization, it might thus be worthwhile to focus more on with whom they associate than on their potentially risky lifestyles or attitudes.

Experience of dental care, knowledge and attitudes of older immigrants in Sweden-A qualitative study.

Knowledge about the oral health and dental care habits of older immigrants is limited. The aim of this study was to explore dental service utilization, oral care habits, and attitudes to and knowledge about oral diseases and their prevention among older immigrants in Sweden. A qualitative research method was used, and data were collected in individual interviews to gain a deeper understanding of the immigrants' views. Thirteen immigrants, seven women and six men, recruited from meeting places for older immigrants, participated, all aged between 59 and 88 (median 72years). Interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Eight interviews were carried out with the help of an authorized interpreter. In the analytical process, performed using the content analysis method, meaning units were identified and condensed into codes which were labelled and grouped into subcategories and categories. The interview analysis resulted in four categories: Experiences of dental care, Attitudes, Barriers and Prevention of oral diseases. The elderly immigrants described a mix of regular and acute dental care and were often not satisfied with the outcome of the treatments. They stated that oral health was important and that they were responsible for their own teeth. Barriers to dental care were costs, language problems and lack of confidence in dental services. Daily oral hygiene routines were performed using a traditional chewing stick and/or regular toothbrush. The participants stated that, despite the barriers to treatment described above, they valued good oral health and visited dental services when they needed to.