IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/poprpr/v42y2023i3d10.1007_s11113-023-09761-7.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Do Asian Immigrants Have Better Mental Health? An Examination of Arrival Cohort and Gender in Australia

Author

Listed:
  • Rennie Lee

    (University of Queensland)

  • Laxman Bablani

    (The University of Melbourne)

Abstract

This study examines how arrival cohort and duration of time in Australia affect the long-term mental health trajectories of Asian immigrants relative to native-born individuals in Australia. We also examine how these relationships differ by gender. Using nationally representative panel data from The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey for 2002–2018, we find limited evidence that Asian immigrants experience declining mental health over time in Australia. Rather, we find that arrival cohort is an important predictor of long-term mental health, specifically for Asian immigrant women and recent cohorts of immigrants. By tracking mental health trajectories over time in Australia, we find variation between Asian immigrants and native-born individuals and by gender. We find that the majority of Asian immigrants in Australia report increases in their mental health over time in Australia. We also find within- and between-gender differences in mental health trajectories. Our study illustrates the importance of longitudinal data and reference categories for understanding immigrants’ health in their host countries. The findings have implications for immigration policy and its role in shaping immigrant composition and immigrants’ mental health over time in the host country.

Suggested Citation

  • Rennie Lee & Laxman Bablani, 2023. "Do Asian Immigrants Have Better Mental Health? An Examination of Arrival Cohort and Gender in Australia," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(3), pages 1-29, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:poprpr:v:42:y:2023:i:3:d:10.1007_s11113-023-09761-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s11113-023-09761-7
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11113-023-09761-7
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11113-023-09761-7?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. John, Dolly A. & de Castro, A.B. & Martin, Diane P. & Duran, Bonnie & Takeuchi, David T., 2012. "Does an immigrant health paradox exist among Asian Americans? Associations of nativity and occupational class with self-rated health and mental disorders," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(12), pages 2085-2098.
    2. Andrew Clarke & Ingo E. Isphording, 2017. "Language Barriers and Immigrant Health," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(6), pages 765-778, June.
    3. Kwak, Kyunghwa, 2016. "An evaluation of the healthy immigrant effect with adolescents in Canada: Examinations of gender and length of residence," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 87-95.
    4. Santosh Jatrana & Ken Richardson & Samba Siva Rao Pasupuleti, 2018. "Investigating the Dynamics of Migration and Health in Australia: A Longitudinal Study," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 34(4), pages 519-565, October.
    5. Rachel Ong & Shrina Shah, 2012. "Job Security Satisfaction in Australia: Do Migrant Characteristics and Gender Matter," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 15(2), pages 123-139.
    6. Huong Thu Le & Ha Trong Nguyen, 2018. "The Impact of Maternal Mental Health Shocks on Child Health: Estimates from Fixed-Effects Instrumental Variables Models for Two Cohorts of Australian Children," American Journal of Health Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 4(2), pages 185-225, Spring.
    7. Ro, Annie & Bostean, Georgiana, 2015. "Duration of U.S. stay and body mass index among Latino and Asian immigrants: A test of theoretical pathways," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 39-47.
    8. McDonald, James Ted & Kennedy, Steven, 2004. "Insights into the 'healthy immigrant effect': health status and health service use of immigrants to Canada," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 59(8), pages 1613-1627, October.
    9. Hamilton, Tod G. & Hummer, Robert A., 2011. "Immigration and the health of U.S. black adults: Does country of origin matter?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(10), pages 1551-1560.
    10. Tani, Massimiliano, 2012. "Does immigration policy affect the education--occupation mismatch? Evidence from Australia," Australian Bulletin of Labour, National Institute of Labour Studies, vol. 38(2), pages 111-141.
    11. Kim, I.-H. & Carrasco, C. & Muntaner, C. & McKenzie, K. & Noh, S., 2013. "Ethnicity and postmigration health trajectory in new immigrants to Canada," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 103(4), pages 96-104.
    12. Lu, Yao & Denier, Nicole & Wang, Julia Shu-Huah & Kaushal, Neeraj, 2017. "Unhealthy assimilation or persistent health advantage? A longitudinal analysis of immigrant health in the United States," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 105-114.
    13. Bruce Newbold, K., 2005. "Self-rated health within the Canadian immigrant population: risk and the healthy immigrant effect," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 60(6), pages 1359-1370, March.
    14. Tani, Massimiliano, 2012. "Does Immigration Policy Affect the Education-Occupation Mismatch? Evidence from Australia," IZA Discussion Papers 6937, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    15. Sandra M Florian, 2018. "Motherhood and Employment Among Whites, Hispanics, and Blacks: A Life Course Approach," Post-Print hal-03420684, HAL.
    16. Seng, Julia S. & Lopez, William D. & Sperlich, Mickey & Hamama, Lydia & Reed Meldrum, Caroline D., 2012. "Marginalized identities, discrimination burden, and mental health: Empirical exploration of an interpersonal-level approach to modeling intersectionality," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(12), pages 2437-2445.
    17. Rachel Ong & Shrina Shah, 2012. "Job Security Satisfaction in Australia: Do Migrant Characteristics and Gender Matter," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 15(2), pages 123-139.
    18. Acevedo-Garcia, Dolores & Bates, Lisa M. & Osypuk, Theresa L. & McArdle, Nancy, 2010. "The effect of immigrant generation and duration on self-rated health among US adults 2003-2007," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(6), pages 1161-1172, September.
    19. Heather Antecol & Kelly Bedard, 2006. "Unhealthy assimilation: Why do immigrants converge to American health status levels?," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 43(2), pages 337-360, May.
    20. Graeme Hugo, 2014. "Change and Continuity in Australian International Migration Policy," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(3), pages 868-890, September.
    21. Gee, G.C. & Ponce, N., 2010. "Associations between racial discrimination, limited English proficiency, and health-related quality of life among 6 Asian ethnic groups in California," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 100(5), pages 888-895.
    22. Jatrana, Santosh & Pasupuleti, Samba Siva Rao & Richardson, Ken, 2014. "Nativity, duration of residence and chronic health conditions in Australia: Do trends converge towards the native-born population?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 53-63.
    23. Kate Preston & Arthur Grimes, 2019. "Migration, Gender, Wages and Wellbeing: Who Gains and in Which Ways?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 144(3), pages 1415-1452, August.
    24. Chenoa A. Flippen & Emilio A. Parrado, 2015. "A Tale of Two Contexts: U.S. Migration and the Labor Force Trajectories of Mexican Women," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(1), pages 232-259, March.
    25. Nicholas Biddle & Steven Kennedy & James Ted Mcdonald, 2007. "Health Assimilation Patterns Amongst Australian Immigrants," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 83(260), pages 16-30, March.
    26. Lesleyanne Hawthorne, 2015. "The Impact of Skilled Migration on Foreign Qualification Recognition Reform in Australia," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 41(s1), pages 173-187, August.
    27. Cook, Ian G. & Dummer, Trevor J. B., 2004. "Changing health in China: re-evaluating the epidemiological transition model," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(3), pages 329-343, March.
    28. Julien Teitler & Melissa Martinson & Nancy E. Reichman, 2017. "Does Life in the United States Take a Toll on Health? Duration of Residence and Birthweight among Six Decades of Immigrants," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(1), pages 37-66, March.
    29. Neeraj Kaushal, 2009. "Adversities of acculturation? Prevalence of obesity among immigrants," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 18(3), pages 291-303, March.
    30. Malmusi, Davide & Borrell, Carme & Benach, Joan, 2010. "Migration-related health inequalities: Showing the complex interactions between gender, social class and place of origin," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(9), pages 1610-1619, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Read, Jen'nan Ghazal & West, Jessica S. & Kamis, Christina, 2020. "Immigration and health among non-Hispanic whites: The impact of arrival cohort and region of birth," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    2. Santosh Jatrana & Ken Richardson & Samba Siva Rao Pasupuleti, 2018. "The Effect of Nativity, Duration of Residence, and Age at Arrival on Obesity: Evidence from an Australian Longitudinal Study," VID Working Papers 1811, Vienna Institute of Demography (VID) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna.
    3. Julien Teitler & Melissa Martinson & Nancy E. Reichman, 2017. "Does Life in the United States Take a Toll on Health? Duration of Residence and Birthweight among Six Decades of Immigrants," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(1), pages 37-66, March.
    4. Lu, Yao & Denier, Nicole & Wang, Julia Shu-Huah & Kaushal, Neeraj, 2017. "Unhealthy assimilation or persistent health advantage? A longitudinal analysis of immigrant health in the United States," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 105-114.
    5. Bousmah, Marwân-al-Qays & Combes, Jean-Baptiste Simon & Abu-Zaineh, Mohammad, 2019. "Health differentials between citizens and immigrants in Europe: A heterogeneous convergence," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(2), pages 235-243.
    6. Tod G. Hamilton, 2014. "Do Country-of-Origin Characteristics Help Explain Variation in Health Among Black Immigrants in the United States?," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 95(3), pages 817-834, September.
    7. Santosh Jatrana & Ken Richardson & Samba Siva Rao Pasupuleti, 2018. "Investigating the Dynamics of Migration and Health in Australia: A Longitudinal Study," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 34(4), pages 519-565, October.
    8. Gabriella Berloffa & Francesca Paolini, 2019. "Decomposing Immigrant Differences in Physical and Mental Health: A 'Beyond the Mean' Analysis," DEM Working Papers 2019/4, Department of Economics and Management.
    9. Antonio Fidalgo & Alberto Holly & Marco Pecoraro & Philippe Wanner, 2016. "A nonparametric analysis of the healthy immigrant effect," IRENE Working Papers 16-15, IRENE Institute of Economic Research.
    10. James Ted McDonald, 2005. "The Health Behaviors of Immigrants and Native-born People in Canada," Social and Economic Dimensions of an Aging Population Research Papers 144, McMaster University.
    11. Sara Rellstab & Marco Pecoraro & Alberto Holly & Philippe Wanner & Karine Renard, 2016. "The Migrant Health Gap and the Role of Labour Market Status: Evidence from Switzerland," IRENE Working Papers 16-14, IRENE Institute of Economic Research.
    12. Asiya Patel & Jennifer Dean & Sara Edge & Kathi Wilson & Effat Ghassemi, 2019. "Double Burden of Rural Migration in Canada? Considering the Social Determinants of Health Related to Immigrant Settlement Outside the Cosmopolis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-20, February.
    13. Monika Sander, 2007. "Return Migration and the "Healthy Immigrant Effect"," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 60, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    14. Bhagyashree Katare & Timothy K. M. Beatty, 2018. "Do environmental factors drive obesity? Evidence from international graduate students," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(10), pages 1567-1593, October.
    15. Jatrana, Santosh & Pasupuleti, Samba Siva Rao & Richardson, Ken, 2014. "Nativity, duration of residence and chronic health conditions in Australia: Do trends converge towards the native-born population?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 53-63.
    16. Hamilton, Tod G. & Kawachi, Ichiro, 2013. "Changes in income inequality and the health of immigrants," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 57-66.
    17. Hamilton, Tod G. & Hummer, Robert A., 2011. "Immigration and the health of U.S. black adults: Does country of origin matter?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(10), pages 1551-1560.
    18. Janisch, Laura M., 2017. "Mental health assimilation of Australian immigrants," Ruhr Economic Papers 728, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    19. Dean, Jennifer Asanin & Wilson, Kathi, 2010. ""My health has improved because I always have everything I need here...": A qualitative exploration of health improvement and decline among immigrants," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(8), pages 1219-1228, April.
    20. Sunmin Lee & Allison H O’Neill & Emily S Ihara & David H Chae, 2013. "Change in Self-Reported Health Status among Immigrants in the United States: Associations with Measures of Acculturation," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(10), pages 1-1, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:poprpr:v:42:y:2023:i:3:d:10.1007_s11113-023-09761-7. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.