1. Infant mortality, ethnicity, and genetically determined disorders in The Netherlands.
- Author
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Schulpen, Tom W. J., Van Wieringen, Joke C. M., Van Brummen, Pien J., Van Riel, Jantien M., Beemer, Frits A., Westers, Paul, and Huber, Jonne
- Subjects
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INFANT mortality , *MINORITIES , *ETHNICITY , *GENETICS , *CONSANGUINITY , *HEALTH promotion , *GENETIC counseling - Abstract
Background: Infant mortality of ethnic minorities in The Netherlands (10% of the population) is twice as high as in the indigenous Dutch population. Causes of death are different for the diverse migrant groups. Methods: Hospital records of nearly 600 infants who died in the four major cities between 1995 and 1998 were analysed according to the cause of death, ethnicity, and possible hereditarity. Results: There was a four to five times higher proportion of hereditary causes of death in the Moroccan and Turkish population, compared with the Surinamese/Antillians and indigenous Dutch. Conclusions: This might be explained by a high inbreeding coefficient as three-quarters of the marriage partners are recruited from the home villages and between a quarter and a third of these marriages are between first cousins. Health promotion activities in The Netherlands have not been successful so far. Preconception genetic counselling might help in reducing these differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2006
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