Self-perceived Health Among Eastern European Immigrants over 50 Living in Western Europe

Overview

Journal Int J Public Health

Specialty Public Health

Date 2014 Dec 17

PMID 25511323

Citations 7

Authors

D Lanari

O Bussini

L Minelli

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: This paper examines whether Eastern European immigrants aged 50 and over living in Northern and Western Europe face a health disadvantage in terms of self-perceived health, with respect to the native-born. We also examined health changes over time (2004-2006-2010) through the probabilities of transition among self-perceived health states, and how they vary according to nativity status and age group.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Logistic regressions and probabilities of transition were used.

Results: Results emphasise the health disadvantage of Eastern European immigrants living in Germany, France and Sweden with respect to the native-born, even after controlling for socio-economic status. Probabilities of transition also evidenced that people born in Eastern Europe were more likely to experience worsening health and less likely to recover from sickness.

Conclusions: This paper suggests that health inequalities do not affect immigrant groups in equal measure and confirm the poorer and more steeply deteriorating health status of Eastern European immigrants.

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