Migrant Selection and the Health of U.S. Immigrants From the Former Soviet Union |
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Authors: | Neil K. Mehta Irma T. Elo |
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Affiliation: | (1) Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA;(2) Population Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA |
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Abstract: | Few prior studies have investigated the health of U.S. immigrants from the former Soviet Union (FSU). Utilizing data from
the 2000 U.S. census and the 2000–2007 National Health Interview Survey (NIHS), we compare levels of disability of FSU immigrants
with U.S.-born whites (ages 50–84). Our findings suggest an “epidemiologic paradox” in that FSU immigrants possess higher
levels of education compared with U.S.-born whites, but report considerably higher disability with and without adjustment
for education. Nonetheless, FSU immigrants report lower levels of smoking and heavy alcohol use compared with U.S.-born whites.
We further investigate disability by period of arrival among FSU immigrants. Changes in Soviet emigration policies conceivably
altered the level of health selectivity among émigrés. We find evidence that FSU immigrants who emigrated during a period
when a permission to emigrate was hard to obtain (1970–1986) displayed less disability compared with those who emigrated when
these restrictions were less stringent (1987–2000). Finally, we compare disability among Russian-born U.S. immigrants with
that of those residing in Russia as a direct test of health selectivity. We find that Russian immigrants report lower levels
of disability compared with Russians in Russia, suggesting that they are positively selected for health despite their poor
health relative to U.S.-born whites. |
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