Age at Migration and Health Disparities in Chronic Conditions after Age 50

• In Event: 203 - Regular Session. Population Process - Migration

Abstract

This paper explores the health disparities by nativity and age at migration in the prevalence of chronic conditions in midlife and old age. Using the 11 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and employing several modeling strategies I show that the older immigrants in the U.S. have lower prevalence and incidence of chronic conditions than the native-born, although the size of an advantage depends on the age and age at migration. Those who migrated as young and (to a lesser degree) middle aged adults have the lowest prevalence of chronic conditions in midlife (between ages 50 and 65). However, they experience slightly faster health decline vis-à-vis the native-born afterwards. As the result, only those who migrated between the ages of 18 and 34 are able to preserve their health advantage after age 65. Surprisingly, those who migrated as children have prevalence of chronic conditions after age 65 even though their health advantage is small and insignificant at age 50. The older non-Hispanic foreign-born have lower hazard of most conditions except for cancer and diabetes. Older foreign-born Hispanics’ health advantage is limited to diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. The results suggest that age at migration is crucial for understanding health status of older foreign-born. Health selectivity plays an important role in explaining an immigrant health advantage during the adulthood, but other factors, such as the length of exposure to environmental risk factors and accumulated socioeconomic resources, may be more important for preserving good health after age 65.

Author

• Zoya Gubernskaya, State University of New York-Albany