Trends for coronary heart disease and stroke mortality among migrants in England and Wales, 1979–2003: slow declines notable for some groups

OBJECTIVE: To examine trends in coronary heart disease and stroke mortality in migrants to England and Wales. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. OUTCOME MEASURES: Age-standardised and sex-specific death rates and rate ratios 1979-83, 1989-93 and 1999-2003. RESULTS: Coronary mortality fell among migrants, more so in the second decade than the first. Rate ratios for coronary mortality remained higher for men and women from Scotland, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and South Asia, and lower for men from Jamaica, other Caribbean countries, West Africa, Italy and Spain. Rate ratios increased for men from Jamaica (1979-83: 0.45, 0.40 to 0.50; 1999-2003: 0.81, 0.73 to 0.90), Pakistan (1979-83: 1.14, 1.04 to 1.25; 1999-2003: 1.93, 1.81 to 2.06), Bangladesh (1979-83: 1.36, 1.15 to 1.60; 1999-2003: 2.11, 1.90…