Cirrhosis and Primary Liver Cancer Amongst First Generation Migrants in England and Wales

Objective. To examine mortality from cirrhosis of the liver and primary liver cancer among first generation migrants to England and Wales. Design. Comparison of standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) for cirrhosis of the liver and primary liver cancer in men and women aged 20-69, by country of birth for the five year period 1988-1992. Setting. England and Wales. Results. There was a statistically significant two-fold excess of mortality from cirrhosis of the liver among male migrants from East Africa (SMR 286), India (SMR 261) and Bangladesh (SMR 254) as well as men born in Scotland (SMR 253) and Ireland (SMR252). Among women, only those born in Scotland (SMR 254) and Ireland (SMR 237) showed significant excess mortality. For liver cancer, significant excess mortality occurred among men born in the Caribbean (SMR 312), Bangladesh (910) and the African Commonwealth other than East Africa (1014), with Scottish and Irish born men showing more moderate excesses (136 and 170, respectively). SMRs were elevated al...