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Migrant health convergence and the role of material deprivation

Author

Listed:
  • Silvia Loi

    (Max-Planck-Institut für Demografische Forschung)

  • Jo Mhairi Hale

    (University of St Andrews)

Abstract

Background: Cross-national research shows that although immigrants initially have better health than their native-born counterparts, their health deteriorates over time in their destination countries, converging to natives’ health (health convergence). Explanations include acculturation to negative health behaviors, exposure to low socioeconomic status, and social exclusion. Objective: This study is the first to examine how material deprivation, a measure of relative disadvantage that includes elements of SES and social exclusion, interacts with duration of stay to affect immigrants’ health convergence. Methods: Using data from Italy (2009), we assess the association between duration of stay and three health outcomes, and we estimate interaction effects of duration of stay with material deprivation. Results: We find immigrants’ duration of stay is negatively associated with self-rated health, chronic morbidity, and activity limitations. Immigrants’ health converges to natives’, net of controls. Convergence is most dramatic for self-rated health, but the pattern is also reflected in chronic morbidity and activity limitations. The health of immigrants who live in conditions of material deprivation is more similar to natives’ health at shorter durations of stay, compared to their not-deprived counterparts. Contribution: The paper contributes to a better understanding of the role of social exclusion – measured as material deprivation – on the immigrant–native health convergence process. It is the first to assess the interaction of material conditions and duration of stay in a host country.

Suggested Citation

  • Silvia Loi & Jo Mhairi Hale, 2019. "Migrant health convergence and the role of material deprivation," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 40(32), pages 933-962.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:40:y:2019:i:32
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2019.40.32
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Gabriella Berloffa & Francesca Paolini, 2022. "Going "beyond the mean" in analysing immigrant health disparities," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 47(7), pages 161-198.
    3. Su Y. Jang & Anna Oksuzyan & Frank J. van Lenthe & Mikko Myrskylä & Silvia Loi, 2024. "Living arrangements and chronic disease accumulation among native-born and immigrant older adults in Europe," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2024-032, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    4. Bettin, Giulia & Sacchi, Agnese, 2020. "Health spending in Italy: The impact of immigrants," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    5. Hélène Benveniste & Jesús Crespo Cuaresma & Matthew Gidden & Raya Muttarak, 2021. "Tracing international migration in projections of income and inequality across the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 166(3), pages 1-22, June.
    6. Eleonora Trappolini & Giammarco Alderotti, 2023. "Migrants’ health in Italy: do the union status and the partner’s nationality matter? (Best Young Researcher Paper 2023)," RIEDS - Rivista Italiana di Economia, Demografia e Statistica - The Italian Journal of Economic, Demographic and Statistical Studies, SIEDS Societa' Italiana di Economia Demografia e Statistica, vol. 77(2), pages 179-189, April-Jun.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    immigration; migrant health; healthy immigrant effect; health convergence; material deprivation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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