Discrimination a threat to public health

Writer:	Jonas Frykman
Publishing year:	2006
ISBN:	978-91-973654-2-0
Report number:	R 2006:22
Possible to order:	No

The Discrimination – a threat to public health report presents the results of a major population survey which indicates that the incidence of discrimination is prevalent, takes various forms in society, and is correlated with gender, age, country of origin, disabilities and sexual orientation. According to this survey, there are very strong links between discrimination and mental ill-health.

According to a qualitative study presented in the report, people have a wide range of views on the discrimination concept. There is a great need for the formulation of reliable questions to measure the incidence of discrimination, but this is also a complex matter.

According to the report, efforts to counter discrimination also entail efforts to improve public health. As a result, it is essential to arrive at satisfactory methods for investigating and monitoring discrimination in society if effective measures are to be taken to counter discrimination.

Discrimination – a threat to public health is the final report of the joint Health and Discrimination project. This project was conducted from 2004–2006 by the National Institute of Public Health (FHI), the Office of the Ombudsman against Ethnic Discrimination (DO), the Office of the Disability Ombudsman (HO) and the Office of the Ombudsman against Discrimination on grounds of Sexual Orientation (HomO). During 2006, the project was largely funded by the European Commission.