Trends and disparities in socioeconomic and behavioural characteristics, life expectancy, and cause-specific mortality of native-born and foreign-born populations in the United States, 1979-2003.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND:
Immigrants are a growing segment of the US population. In 2003, there were 33.5 million immigrants, accounting for 12% of the total US population. Despite a rapid increase in their numbers, little information exists as to how immigrants' health and mortality profile has changed over time. In this study, we analysed trends in social and behavioural characteristics, life expectancy, and mortality patterns of immigrants and the US-born from 1979 to 2003.

METHODS:
We used national mortality and census data (1979-2003) and 1993 and 2003 National Health Interview Surveys to examine nativity differentials over time in health and social characteristics. Life tables, age-adjusted death rates, and logistic regression were used to examine nativity differentials.

RESULTS:
During 1979-81, immigrants had 2.3 years longer life expectancy than the US-born (76.2 vs 73.9 years). The difference increased to 3.4 years in 1999-2001 (80.0 vs 76.6 years). Nativity differentials in mortality increased over time for major cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, respiratory diseases, unintentional injuries, and suicide, with immigrants experiencing generally lower mortality than the US-born in each period. Specifically, in 1999-2001, immigrants had at least 30% lower mortality from lung and oesophageal cancer, COPD, suicide, and HIV/AIDS, but at least 50% higher mortality from stomach and liver cancer than the US-born. Nativity differentials in mortality, health, and behavioural characteristics varied substantially by ethnicity.

CONCLUSIONS:
Growing ethnic heterogeneity of the immigrant population, and its migration selectivity and continuing advantages in behavioural characteristics may partly explain the overall widening health gaps between immigrants and the US-born.

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Author information

Author/s: Singh, Gopal K (GK); Hiatt, Robert A (RA);

Affiliation: Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, US Department of Health and Human Services, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 18-41, Rockville, MD 20857, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article

Journal: International journal of epidemiology (Int J Epidemiol), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Aug; vol 35 (issue 4) : pp 903-19

Dates: Created 2006/08/25; Completed 2007/07/13;

PMID: 16709619, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

Comments and Corrections

CommentIn: Int J Epidemiol. 2006 Aug;35(4):919-21. (PMID: 16847016)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Cause of Death
Censuses
Culture
Educational Status
Emigration and Immigration - statistics & numerical data; trends
Female
Humans
Life Expectancy

Life Expectancy
Male
Occupations
Patient Acceptance of Health Care - ethnology
Population Groups
Sex Distribution
Socioeconomic Factors
United States

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