Publication year: 2011
Source: Social Science & Medicine, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 27 August 2011
Tod G., Hamilton , Robert A., Hummer
Previous work suggests that regional variation in pre-migration exposure to racism and discrimination predicts differences in individual-level health among black immigrants to the United States. We exploit data on both region and country of birth for black immigrants in the United States and methodology that allows for the identification of arrival cohorts to test whether there are sending country differences in the health of black adults in the United States. While testing this hypothesis, we also document heterogeneity in health across arrival cohorts and by duration of U.S. residence among black immigrants. Using data on working-age immigrant and U.S.-born blacks…
Highlights: ► We test a theory that suggests that pre-migration exposure to discrimination or racism explains variation in health among black immigrants in the U.S. ► We evaluate the impact of region of birth, country of birth, cohort of arrival, and duration of residence on the health of black immigrants in the U.S. ► Results imply that pre-migration exposure to discrimination or racism does not explain variation in health among black immigrants in the U.S. ► Disparities in health among black immigrants are produced by variation in health within and across immigration cohorts rather than simply across countries. ► Almost all black immigrants are healthier than U.S-born blacks upon arrival in the United States. ► African immigrants maintain their health advantage over U.S.-born blacks where as the health of West Indian immigrants erodes with tenure in the U.S.