Mortality among US-born and immigrant Hispanics in the US: effects of nativity, duration of residence, and age at immigration

Abstract

Findings suggest that age at immigration, rather than duration of residence, drives differences in mortality between Hispanic immigrants and the US-born Hispanic population.

Refugee crisis in Greece: not a one-country job

“…Many important predictors of long-term mortality and morbidity in immigrant populations are well documented: age at immigration, burden of existent long term physical conditions, and emerging conflict-and trauma-related mental health problems (Ben Taleb et al 2015;Holmes et al 2015). However, whilst universal health is recognised as a fundamental human right, it has frequently been subjected to heterogeneous regulations and interpretations, often impacting most negatively on migrants (WHO 2014).…”

Gender and Age of Migration Differences in Mortality Among Older Mexican Americans

“…For example, immigrants who arrive in adolescence or as children are able to adapt more easily into the host society and may have similar health and mortality experiences as their U.S.-born co-ethnics (Angel et al, 2010;Garcia & Reyes, 2018;Holmes et al, 2015). While this can provide economic advantages, which may be protective of health in later life (Angel et al, 2001;Gubernskaya, Bean, & Van Hook, 2013), it may also imply the adoption of worse health behaviors including poorer diet, sedentary lifestyle, and increased smoking/drinking (Antecol & Bedard, 2006;Riosmena et al, 2013).…”

“…Ever drink, is coded as 1 if respondent reports ever having been an alcohol drinker. Finally, we include a baseline measure of morbidity by controlling for a number of chronic conditions known to be associated with mortality to account for any potential confounding between age of migration and mortality (Angel et al, 2010;Holmes et al, 2015). The six self-reported chronic conditions are: heart disease, stroke, cancer, high blood pressure, arthritis, and diabetes.…”

“…Furthermore, previous research has found age of migration to be associated with the risk of mortality in samples of Hispanic immigrants that combine men and women. For example, Holmes and colleagues (2015) document a significant mortality advantage among a national sample of foreign-born Hispanics (inclusive of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, and "other" Hispanics) arriving at ages 25 and older compared to U.S.-born Hispanics (Holmes, Driscoll, & Heron, 2015). Conversely, regional studies specific to older Mexican-Americans have documented a lower risk of all-cause mortality among latelife (age 50 and older) migrants relative to their U.S.-born co-ethnics in the Southwest U.S. (Angel, Angel, Díaz Venegas, & Bonazzo, 2010) and an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality among early-life migrants (under age 20) compared to Mexicans who migrate at older ages in the Sacramento Metropolitan Area (Colón-López, Haan, Aiello, & Ghosh, 2009).…”

Region of origin diversity in immigrant health: Moving beyond the Mexican case

“…For example, Dallo and James (2000) found lower levels of acculturation to be associated with increased risk for hypertension among Arab women in Detroit. Moreover, recent research shows a larger effect of time spent in the U.S. on health among those who emigrated at a young versus older age (Holmes et al, 2015) and null effects of acculturation among elderly Latinos (Lopez et al, 2014). This research suggests non-uniform effects of exposure depending on individual characteristics.…”