View
222
Download
0
Category
Tags:
Preview:
Citation preview
Immigrant Health and Adaptation in Canada:
Adults vs. Adolescents
Kyunghwa Kwak & Floyd RudminWellbeing & Public Policy Conference; Hamilton, NY, June 12, 2014
Traditional Views on Immigrant Health
Immigrant Experiences
Acculturation Difficulties & Stress
Maladaptation & Health Problems
Some Limitations with Immigrant Studiesthe small sample size the data collection from the areas where immigrant
populations are concentratedconfounding effects (e.g., visible minority status,
socioeconomic status, family affluence)
a large nationally representative data set which had been collected across all regions of the society
avoiding the possibility of yielding skewed outcomes
New Directions in Empirical Findings
Health Outcome
Immigrant Paradox
Healthy Immigrant Effect
Epidemiological Paradox
Definition: Healthy Immigrant Effect
Healthy Immigrant Effect (De Maio, 2010):
(1) an initial advantage in new immigrants’ health conditions in comparison to the native-born population
(2) loss of this advantage and deterioration in health status over time (2 to 10 years)
The health transitions of immigrants
>> explain the social patterning and provide the ground for policy implications of the social determinants of health
Framework of the Study
National Population Data in Canada
Adults
Immigrants >
Non-Immigrants?
Adolescents
Immigrants >
Non-Immigrants?
Subjective Well-being
(Health & Adaptation)
Data SourceCanadian Community Health Survey
(CCHS 2007: aged 12 - 69)
PopulationParticipant Ns
Immigrants Non-Immigrants
Adults(20-69 years)
N = 3676 N = 92,982
Adolescents(12-19 years) N = 920 N = 13,572
Sampling Participants (Statistics Canada)
Who: individuals from regional health units and from lists of household telephone numbers with a target number proportional to the general population size of each region
How: voluntary; choice of language; 78% overall national response rate
Where: all provinces and territories When: January to December 2007
DemographicsAdults Adolescents
Age: RI (36) < NI (45 years old)
Demographic
Information
Age: RI (15.6) > NI (15.4)
Gender: RI ≈ NI (Female 53%) Gender: RI ≈ NI (Female 48%)
Visible Minority Status: RI (71%) > NI (9%)
Visible Minority Status: RI (71%) > NI (18%)
Household Income: NI > RI Household Income: NI > RI
Education: RI > NI Household Size: RI > NI
Age
Controlled
Covariates
Age
Gender Visible Minority Status
Visible Minority Status Household Income
Education Household Size
Household Income Presence of Parents / Interview
Measures:Self-PerceptionHealth:
General Health Mental Health Psychological Illnesses Chronic Illnesses with Somatic Symptoms
Adaptation: Life Satisfaction Daily Life Stress Sense of Belonging
Questions
Health Adaptation
In general, would you say your health is.....?
In general, would you say your mental health is.....?
asthma, migraine, back problems, ulcer, & bowel disorders
How satisfied are you with your life in general?
About the amount of stress in your life, would you say that most days are....?
How would you describe your sense of belonging to your local community?
Key Findings: Health
PopulationsHealth
General Health
Mental Health
Chronic-Somatic
Mood & Anxiety
Adult
Recent Immigrants RI > NI RI > NI
NI > RI NI > RINon-Immigrants
Adolescent
Recent Immigrants
RI > NIF ≈ M
RI > NIF ≈ M NI > RI
F > M NI > RIF ≈ M
Non-Immigrants
Key Findings: Adaptation
PopulationsAdaptation
Daily Stress Belonging Satisfaction
AdultRecent Immigrants RI ≈ NI
NI > RI NI > RINon-Immigrants
Adolescent
RecentImmigrants RI ≈ NI
F > M RI ≈ NIF > M
RI ≈ NI F ≈ M Non-Immigrants
Adults ComparisonImmigrants vs. Non-Immigrants
General HealthMental Health Daily StressLife Satisfaction Belonging1
1.5
2
2.5
R-Immi Non-Immi
Ass
essm
ent
Adolescents Comparison Immigrants vs. Non-Immigrants
General Health Mental Health Daily Stress Life Satisfaction Belonging1
1.5
2
2.5
R-Immi Non-Immi
Ass
essm
ent
Healthy Resilient Immigrants
Disadvantaged Adults: Yes [ R-Immigrants > Non-Immigrants ] Adolescents: Yes [ R-Immigrants > Non-Immigrants ]
Health Adults: Yes [ R-Immigrants > Non-Immigrants ] Adolescents: Yes [ R-Immigrants > Non-Immigrants ]
Adaptation Adults: NO [ R-Immigrants > Non-Immigrants ] Adolescents: Yes [ Immigrants ≈ Non-Immigrants ]
Conclusions
Healthy & Well-Adapted Immigrants
Sustainability of Immigrant Health
Differential Focuses
Adults: Quality of Life
Adolescents: Gender Specific Guidance
Characteristics of Social and Societal Support
Adults: HealthRecent Immigrants vs. Non-Immigrants
Rec-ImmiNon-Immi
1
1.5
2
2.5
Mental Health
General Health
Ass
essm
ent
Adults: AdaptationRecent Immigrants vs. Non-Immigrants
Rec-ImmiNon-Immi
1
1.5
2
2.5
Satisfaction
Belonging
Daily Stress
Ass
essm
ent
Adolescent HealthImmigrants vs. Non-Immigrants
ImmigrantNon-Immi
1
1.5
2
2.5
Mental Health
General Health
Ass
essm
ent
Adolescent AdaptationImmigrants vs. Non-Immigrants
ImmigrantNon-Immi
1
1.5
2
2.5
Satisfaction
Belonging
Daily StressAss
essm
ent
Adolescent Health No Gender Differences
General HealthMental Health
1
1.5
2
2.5I-Female
I-Male
N-Female
N-Male
Ass
essm
ent
Adolescents: Adaptation & Gender
Equally Good Adaptation
Immigrants ≈ Non-Immigrants
But
Girls – more Stress and Psychosomatization
Boys – weaker sense of Belonging
Daily StressGender Difference
Daily Stress2
2.5
3
F-Immi M-Immi F-Nonimmi M-Nonimmi
Ass
essm
ent
Psychosomatic SymptomsGender Differences
Psychosomatic Symptoms0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
F-Immi M-Immi F-Nonimmi M-Nonimmi
Ass
essm
ent
Recommended