Comparison of Beliefs about Health in Migrants and Swedish-Born Persons with Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

Background: Based on findings from previous qualitative studies comparing migrants and Swedish-born persons with diabetes mellitus type 2, it was hypothesized that dissimilarities exist in beliefs about health, including factors of importance for health between groups. Methods: A survey in a diabetes clinic in a migrant-dense area in Sweden. Results: Migrants generally perceived their health as poorer than Swedes, although it was not significantly different. Health mainly meant feeling well, being alert, and healthy and learning to live with disease despite of person’s origin. Studying factors of importance for health, migrants perceived knowledge about the body and treatment to influence health to a lower extent (p 0.009) and use of nature cure remedies to a higher extent (p 0.029) than Swedish-born persons. Conclusions: The findings partly supported the hypothesis that dissimilarities in factors of importance for health exist between migrants and Swedish-born persons, and need to be assessed.