After unification: Gender and subjective health status in East and West Germany

Lüschen, Günther; Geling, Olga; José, Christian; Kunz, Gerhard; Knesebeck, Olaf von dem

doi:10.1016/s0277-9536(96)00259-6

Cited by 15 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…This corresponds to the findings of most international research30 40 with the exception of one German study 35. According to the obtained logistic regression model, this finding cannot be explained by a larger number of stressful life events or by fewer resources.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Self rating of health is associated with stressful life events, social support and residency in East and West Berlin shortly after the fall of the wall

Hillen

Schaub²,

Hiestermann³

et al. 2000

Journal of Epidemiology &Amp; Community Health

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Study objective-To compare the health status and factors influencing the health of populations that had previously lived under diVerent political systems. Design-Cross sectional health and social survey using postal interviews. The relation between self reported health and psychosocial factors (stressful life events, social support, education, health promoting life style and health endangering behaviour) was investigated. To determine EastWest diVerences a logistic regression model including interaction terms was fitted. Setting-East and West Berlin shortly after reunification 1991. Participants-Representative sample of 4430 Berlin residents aged 18 years and over (response rate 63%).Results-Of all respondents, 15.4% rated their health as unsatisfactory. Residents of East Berlin rated their health more frequently as unsatisfactory than residents of West Berlin (Or age adjusted = 1.29, 95%CI 1.08, 1.52), these diVerences occurred predominantly in the over 60 years age group. Logistic regression showed significant independent eVects of stressful life events, social support, education, and health promoting life style on self rated health. The eVects of education and health promoting life style were observed to be more pronounced in the western part of Berlin. Old age and female sex showed a stronger association with unsatisfactory health status in the eastern part of Berlin. Conclusions-For subjects aged over 60 years there was evidence that living in the former East Berlin had an adverse eVect on health compared with West Berlin. The impact of education and a health promoting lifestyle on self rated health seemed to be weaker in a former socialist society compared with that of a Western democracy. This study supports an "additive model" rather than a "buVering model" in explaining the eVects of psychosocial factors on health. (J Epidemiol Community Health 2000;54:575-580)

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Self rating of health is associated with stressful life events, social support and residency in East and West Berlin shortly after the fall of the wall

Hillen

Schaub²,

Hiestermann³

et al. 2000

Journal of Epidemiology &Amp; Community Health

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“…In 1992, less than 3 years after unification, a random sample of East German men reported better subjective health then West German men, even though the West Germans had better income, more secure jobs and participated more in sports (Luschen et al, 1997). We may surmise, however, that (at least at the time) East Germans' expectations for an improvement over their current condition were greater than West Germans'.…”

Section: An Alternative Interpretationmentioning

confidence: 93%

The Migrant Mortality Advantage: A 70 Month Follow-up of the Brussels Population

Anson

2004

European Journal of Population

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There is considerable evidence that first generation immigrants to developed countries tend to have lower mortality than does the population as a whole at their destination. This advantage is usually ascribed to a selection process which makes migrants more robust than the local population and/or an acculturation process whereby third-world migrants lose their natural healthy life style as they take on modern urban dietary and living habits. We investigate immigrant-local mortality differences using a 6-year follow-up of the complete Brussels population aged 25-55, as enumerated at the Belgian census, 1991. We show that adult migrants have lower mortality than their native-born counterparts, despite their often poorer living arrangements, work status and human capital. This effect differs by origin group. The effects of age on mortality are similar for all groups, with mortality increasing about 8% a year. This increase is slightly greater for the Belgian born than for immigrants, which makes the selectivity explanation unlikely. Years since migration does not significantly increase the mortality risk for most groups, contradicting the acculturation hypothesis. Thus, explanations ascribing immigrants' mortality advantage to migrant selectivity, pre-modern cultural practices, or an artefact of population recording practices are insufficient. We propose, instead, an explanation based on the meaning migration has for the immigrant, and the hope engendered in the move, particularly that from a lesser to a more developed country. Anson, J., 2004. La sous-mortalite´des migrants. Une enqueˆte suivie de 70 mois sur la population de Bruxelles. Revue Europe´enne de De´mographie, 20: 191-218.Re´sume´. Selon de nombreuses e´tudes, dans les pays de´veloppe´s, les immigrants de premie`re ge´ne´ration ont une mortalite´plus basse que celle des autochtones. Cet avantage est habituellement attribue´a`un effet de se´lection qui fait que les migrants sont plus robustes que la population locale et/ou a`un processus d'acculturation qui fait progressivement perdre aux migrants un mode de vie plus sain au profit de modes de vie et d'alimentation typiques de la vie urbaine moderne. Nous e´tudions les diffe´rences de mortalite´entre immigrants et autochtones at ravers les re´sultats d'une enqueˆte suivie de l'ensemble de la population bruxelloise aˆge´e de 25 a`55 ans au recensement belge de 1991. Les migrants adultes ont une mortalite´plus basse que 191 les autochtones, en de´pit de conditions de logement et d'emploi plus pre´caires et d'un moindre capital humain. L'effet varie selon l'origine des migrants. L'influence de l'aˆge sur la mortaliteé st le meˆme pour tous les groupes, avec une mortalite´augmentant d'environ 8% par anne´e d'aˆge. Ce rythme est le´ge`rement plus rapide pour la population ne´e en Belgique que pour les immigrants, ce qui rend peu vraisemblable l'hypothe`se de la se´lection. Dans la plupart des groupes, le nombre d'anne´es e´coule´es depuis la migration n'augmente pas significativement le risque de de´ce`s, cont...

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“…38 39 Differences between the East and the West could also be observed for psychosocial factors such as stressful life events, socioeconomic status, and social support. [40][41][42][43] Stressful life events such as feelings of insecurity at work or serious financial trouble were reported more frequently by East compared with West Germans. [40][41][42] As to socioeconomic status, per capita income, gross domestic product (GDP), and unemployment have consistently been less favourable in the East compared with the West.…”

Section: Possible Explanationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[40][41][42][43] Stressful life events such as feelings of insecurity at work or serious financial trouble were reported more frequently by East compared with West Germans. [40][41][42] As to socioeconomic status, per capita income, gross domestic product (GDP), and unemployment have consistently been less favourable in the East compared with the West. 43 44 The GDP per state follows a clear north east to south west gradient with a higher GDP in the south western states with the exception of the state of Saarland.…”

Section: Possible Explanationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regional variation and time trends in mortality from ischaemic heart disease: East and West Germany 10 years after reunification

Müller‐Nordhorn

Rossnagel²,

Mey³

et al. 2004

Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health

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After unification: Gender and subjective health status in East and West Germany

Cited by 15 publications

References 23 publications

Self rating of health is associated with stressful life events, social support and residency in East and West Berlin shortly after the fall of the wall

Self rating of health is associated with stressful life events, social support and residency in East and West Berlin shortly after the fall of the wall

The Migrant Mortality Advantage: A 70 Month Follow-up of the Brussels Population

Regional variation and time trends in mortality from ischaemic heart disease: East and West Germany 10 years after reunification

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