Immigrant Health Around the World: Evidence from the World Values Survey

We describe the relationship between immigrant status and self-rated health around the world, both in raw descriptive statistics
and in models controlling for individual characteristics. Using the World Values Survey (1981–2005), we analyze data from
32 different countries worldwide. We estimate four regression models per country. The basic model tests mean differences in
self-rated health. Additional models add demographic and social class controls. Introduction of control variables (most particularly,
age) changes the results dramatically. In the final model, net of controls, only two countries show poorer immigrant health
and three countries show better immigrant health. The multivariate regression models net of controls show few differences
in health status between immigrants and the native born. The age structure of immigrant populations is an important mediator
of differences in health status compared to the native-born population.