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Age and Gender Variations in Healthy Immigrant Effect: a Population Study of Immigrant Well-Being in Canada

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  • Kyunghwa Kwak

    (University of East London)

Abstract

The healthy immigrant effect (HIE) is the phenomenon in which immigrants show better health than their native-born counterparts but this healthier condition declines with length of residence. This study investigated whether (1) immigrants also show better adaptation than non-immigrants as well as better health, (2) length of residence affects their health and adaptation differently, and (3) differential outcomes are found for different age and gender groups. Utilizing the Canadian Community Health Survey (2011–2012) data, immigrants (N = 17,555) and non-immigrants (N = 103,579) were divided into adolescents (15–19 years old), adults (20–49), older adults (50–64), and seniors (65–74) to examine their subjective general and mental health, diagnosed chronic and psychological illnesses, and self-reported daily stress, life satisfaction and sense of belonging. After controlling for key demographics, HIE was found to be more robust in health than adaptation. In general, recent immigrants reported better health conditions than long-term immigrants; however, the two did not differ with daily stress or life satisfaction. The older adult immigrants were the only segment of the immigrant population who did not display HIE; within the immigrant population, working-aged long-term adult immigrants were those experiencing negative well-being in both health and adaptation compared to the same-aged recent immigrants. Regarding diagnosed psychological illnesses, immigrants yielded no difference by age, gender, or length of residence, indicating ‘reluctant’ views on seeking professional help for mental health were persistently held by both recent and long-immigrants. The findings suggest that health policy needs to take into consideration age-related life stages, and enhancement of mental health awareness for immigrant well-being.

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  • Kyunghwa Kwak, 2018. "Age and Gender Variations in Healthy Immigrant Effect: a Population Study of Immigrant Well-Being in Canada," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 413-437, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joimai:v:19:y:2018:i:2:d:10.1007_s12134-018-0546-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s12134-018-0546-4
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    1. Yu-Jung Lin & Jeng-Yuan Chiou & Jing-Yang Huang & Pen-Hua Su & Jia-Yuh Chen & Hao-Jan Yang, 2021. "A Comparative Prevalence of Birth Defects between Newborns of Immigrant and Native-Born Mothers in Taiwan: Ten Years of Population-Based Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-12, November.
    2. Chang Su & Lixia Yang & Linying Dong & Weiguo Zhang, 2022. "The Psychological Well-Being of Older Chinese Immigrants in Canada amidst COVID-19: The Role of Loneliness, Social Support, and Acculturation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-12, July.
    3. Mabel Ho & Eleanor Pullenayegum & David Burnes & Esme Fuller-Thomson, 2022. "Successful Aging among Immigrant and Canadian-Born Older Adults: Findings from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-18, October.

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