Self-rated health within the Canadian immigrant population: risk and the healthy immigrant effect

Soc Sci Med. 2005 Mar;60(6):1359-70. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2004.06.048.

Abstract

Set within the determinants of health framework and drawing upon Statistics Canada's longitudinal National Population Health Survey, this paper explores the self-assessed health of Canada's immigrant population. Using both descriptive and multivariate techniques, including logistic regression and survival analysis, the intent is to identify differences in self-assessed health between the immigrant and native-born populations, the factors that contribute to immigrant self-assessed health, and the factors associated with declining self-assessed health status. In each case, the key questions are whether differences in health status exist between the native- and foreign-born. Results indicate mixed support for the Healthy Immigrant Effect, with the native- and foreign-born neither more nor less likely to rank their health as fair or poor. However, results from the proportional hazards model indicated that the native-born were at lower risk to transition to poor health.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Attitude to Health / ethnology*
  • Bibliometrics
  • Canada / epidemiology
  • Emigration and Immigration*
  • Female
  • Health Status Indicators*
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Population Surveillance
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Risk Assessment*
  • Risk Factors
  • Self-Assessment
  • Socioeconomic Factors