AG 8: Demography and health
Immigrant populations are growing throughout the Nordic countries, making understanding their health needs of increasing social importance. Thus, this project explores how contextual factors surrounding migration, e.g. order of arrival in the host country, are related to health.
Migration researchers have observed a paradox whereby immigrants from lower-income countries appear to live longer than native-born persons, often referred to as the “healthy immigrant effect”. However, immigrants are also more likely to report chronic diseases and mental health problems than native populations. One explanation for this finding is that immigrants may be disadvantaged by experiences in their home country and stressors associated with migration.
The analyses of the Nordic register data offer a first exploration into the health correlates of understudied aspects of migration experiences. Our research group also examines whether the stress associated with a major life event, e.g. losing a spouse, may be especially potent for immigrants with fewer resources or with cultural origins that are more distant from cultures prevalent in the host country. The findings will be instructive about whether minority and disadvantaged groups are especially vulnerable to the effects of stressful live events.