Type 2 diabetes mellitus and Turkish immigrants : an educational experiment in general practice

As a result of the ever-increasing numbers of immigrant groups, the Western world is facing numerous new problems related to this development. One problem of special interest is the consequence for public health. Immigrants not only have different health problems rare to the native population of North West European countries, e.g. sickle cell disease and thalassaemia, but also the epidemiology of known diseases may differ. Studies have shown differences between immigrant groups and the native population in the prevalence of diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. These differences· are attributed to genetic, environmental, social and cultural factors.