Sohn H, Bacong AM. Selection, experience, and disadvantage: Examining sources of health inequalities among naturalized US citizens.
SSM Popul Health 2021;
15:100895. [PMID:
34430702 PMCID:
PMC8368999 DOI:
10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100895]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives
We integrated major theories in immigrant health and assimilation into a single analytical framework to quantify the degrees to which demographic composition, pathways to citizenship, and socioeconomic assimilation account for physical and mental health disparities between naturalized immigrants by region of origin.
Methods
Using the restricted data from the 2015–2016 California Health Interview Survey, we decomposed differences in physical and mental health into demographic factors, path to citizenship, and socioeconomic characteristics by region of origin using the Karlson, Holm, and Breen (KHB) method.
Results
Differences in socioeconomic status mediated most of the disparity in physical health between naturalized immigrants from different regions. Factors associated with major immigrant health theories—demographic composition, pathways to citizenship, and socioeconomic assimilation—did not mediate disparities in mental health.
Conclusion
This article argues that the study of health disparities among immigrants must simultaneously account for differences in demographic composition, immigration experience, and socioeconomic disadvantage. The findings also underscore the need for theory development that can better explain mental health disparities among immigrants.
Socioeconomic disadvantage accounted for poorer physical health among naturalized citizens who were born in Mexico.
Psychological distress is pervasive among naturalized citizens from Central and Latin America.
Differences in SES mediated the disparity in physical health between naturalized immigrants from different regions.
Demographic characteristics, time to citizenship, and SES did not mediate disparities in mental health.
Collapse