Racial, Ethnic, and Immigrant Generational Disparities in Physically Strenuous and Hazardous Work Conditions

Despite the importance of work in adult life, research on the social determinants of health often ignores its effects. We examine race/ethnic, immigrant generational, and gender differentials in exposure to work conditions associated with poor health outcomes, using a nationally-representative sample of adults. On average, Latino 1st generation workers are more exposed to strenuous and hazardous work conditions than other workers, even after adjusting for sociodemographic differences. Exposure is lower for 2nd and 3rd generation Latinos. In contrast, Asian 1st generation men often have the lowest exposure levels of all groups and Asian 2nd and 3rd generation men have higher levels of exposure than the first generation, primarily due to intergenerational differences in education. Asian 1st generation women have higher exposures than those in the 2nd or 3rd generation. These results illustrate the importance of considering work conditions in research and policy related to the social determinants of health.

Race/ethnicity, immigrant generation, and physiological dysregulation among U.S. adults entering midlife

This study aimed to better understand racial/ethnic and immigrant generation disparities in physiological dysregulation in the early portion of the adult life course. Using biomarker-measured allostatic load, we focused on the health of child/adolescent immigrant, second-, and third-plus-generation Asian, Black, Hispanic, and White Americans in their late 30s and early 40s. We drew on restricted-access data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), Waves I and V. The results indicate lower levels of physiological dysregulation for most racial/ethnic groups of child/adolescent immigrants relative to both third-plus-generation Whites and third-plus-generation same race/ethnic peers. Socioeconomic, social, and behavioral control variables measured in different parts of the life course had little impact on these patterns. Thus, evidence of an immigrant health advantage is found for this cohort using allostatic load as a measure of physiological dysregulation, even though immigrants in Add Health arrived at the United States during childhood and adolescence. Implications of these findings in the context of immigrant health advantages and trajectories are discussed.

Parental migrant status and health inequalities at birth: The role of immigrant educational selectivity

Immigrants tend to exhibit better health than natives despite immigrants' more disadvantaged socioeconomic status. This paradox has often been attributed to immigrants' pre-migration selectivity. However, most empirical studies investigating the role of selectivity have focused on adult health; less attention has been paid to children's birth outcomes outside the U.S. context. Using data from the Etude Longitudinale Française depuis l'Enfance (ELFE), a nationally representative sample of over 18000 births in France in 2011, we investigate the role of immigrant parents' educational selectivity in shaping four birth outcomes: birthweight, low birthweight, prematurity, and being born small for gestational age. Results from linear and logistic regressions confirm a health advantage for children of immigrants compared to natives despite lower parental socioeconomic status, mainly among children of Middle Eastern and North African parents. Immigrant parents' positive pre-migration educational selectivity explains most of this health advantage, predominantly among children with two immigrant parents. Further, mediation analyses indicate that the effect of educational selectivity is partially mediated by parental health behaviors, particularly smoking during pregnancy. Furthermore, analyses suggest that selectivity improves birth outcomes only for children of recent arrivals, with less than five years of residence in France. The beneficial effect of selectivity declines with length of residence, suggesting that a process of "unhealthy assimilation," coupled with the cumulative exposure to health risks and disadvantaged living conditions, may lead to the erosion of the protective effect of immigrant selectivity.

Examining Psychological Distress Across Intersections of Immigrant Generational Status, Race, Poverty, and Gender

While many studies have documented the health outcomes of immigrants, little is known about the direct and intersectional influences of generational status on mental health. We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study using data from the California Health Interview Survey from 2015 to 2016 (N = 41,754) to compare the prevalence of psychological distress among first-generation immigrants and non-immigrants relative to second-generation immigrants, overall and across intersections of race, poverty status, and gender. Second-generation and non-immigrant respondents had a significantly higher prevalence (10.1% and 9.4%, respectively) of psychological distress compared to first-generation immigrants (5.9%). Prevalence ratios comparing first-generation to second-generation immigrants were suggestive of an association where first-generation immigrants had lower prevalence of psychological distress compared to second-generation, though not statistically significant (0.81, 95% Confidence interval 0.63, 1.04). Prevalence ratios of non-immigrants relative to second-generation immigrants were not statistically significant (1.12, 95% Confidence interval 0.84, 1.50).

Immigrant Generation, Race, and Socioeconomic Outcomes of Mothers in Urban Cities: Who Fares Better?

Immigrants living in the United States tend to exhibit racially stratified outcomes, with greater socioeconomic disadvantage experienced by immigrants of color. However, few comparative studies have examined this relationship among multiple generations of immigrant women. This study compared first-, second-, and third-plus-generation immigrant mothers on seven socioeconomic outcomes. Data came from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Our sample consisted of 4056 first-, second-, and third-plus-generation immigrant mothers living in U.S. urban cities. Logistic, ordinal logistic, and linear regression analyses were conducted to predict socioeconomic outcomes. Among immigrants of color, increased generation status was associated with worse socioeconomic outcomes. Among White immigrants, generation status was largely unassociated with socioeconomic outcomes. Results underscore the need for increasing support for immigrants and their posterity. Further research is warranted investigating mechanisms that lead to racially stratified disadvantages as immigrant generation increases.

Depression and Antidepressant Use Among Asian and Hispanic Adults: Association with Immigrant Generation and Language Use

This research investigates the psychological well-being and usage of medical treatments by Asian and Hispanic immigrant descendants. Using data from all four waves of Add Health study, this paper focuses on two outcomes: (1) depression and (2) levels of antidepressant use by race/ethnicity, immigrant generation, and linguistic acculturation levels during adulthood. Findings reveal that depression is prevalent among Mexican Americans, other Hispanics, and Asian Americans. Furthermore, Mexican Americans and Asian Americans have reported a lower level of antidepressant use than whites, with Asian Americans attaining the lowest level when immigrant generation, language acculturation levels, and other socioeconomic factors are held constant. We also find that those who are linguistically less acculturated have much lower levels of antidepressant use than their monolingual English-speaking counterparts.

The Role of Gender Role Attitudes and Immigrant Generation in Ethnic Minority Women's Labor Force Participation in Britain

Although substantial research shows that in Britain some ethnic minority women have significantly lower labor force participation (LFP) rates than White British women, even after controlling for demographic characteristics and education levels, little is known about the reasons underlying the remaining ethnic differences. Using nationally representative data (2010–2011), I investigate the role of gender role attitudes in explaining the ethnic as well as generational differences in women’s LFP rates. The results show that after controlling for demographic characteristics and education levels, LFP rates of Pakistani and Bangladeshi women are significantly lower than that of White British women and about half of the ethnic gap can be explained by differences in gender role attitudes. Moreover, I show that the ethnic gap is less pronounced for second generation Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Indian women whose LFP rates are significantly higher than those of their first generation counterparts. Importantly, the higher LFP rates of second generation South Asian women can be largely explained by their relatively less traditional gender role attitudes. Drawing on my results, public policies could provide appropriate childcare services and flexible work arrangements to alter traditional gender role attitudes, thereby improving minority women’s labor market opportunities.

Ethnic Identity and Perceived Stress Among Ethnically Diverse Immigrants

Recent empirical research suggests that having a strong ethnic identity may be associated with reduced perceived stress. However, the relationship between perceived stress and ethnic identity has not been tested in a large and ethnically diverse sample of immigrants. This study utilized a multi-group latent class analysis of ethnic identity on a sample of first and second generation immigrants (N = 1603), to determine ethnic identity classifications, and their relation to perceived stress. A 4-class ethnic identity structure best fit the data for this immigrant sample, and the proportion within each class varied by ethnicity, but not immigrant generation. High ethnic identity was found to be protective against perceived stress, and this finding was invariant across ethnicity. This study extends the findings of previous research on the protective effect of ethnic identity against perceived stress to immigrant populations of diverse ethnic origins.

An Internationally Comparative Study of Immigration and Adolescent Emotional and Behavioral Problems: Effects of Generation and Gender

PURPOSE

Although the potential consequences of immigration for adolescent problem behaviors have been addressed in many former studies, internationally comparative research is scarce. This study investigated the impact of immigration on four indicators of adolescents' emotional and behavioral problems in 10 countries, taking into account gender and immigrant generation as moderating factors.

METHODS

Analyses were based on data from 11-, 13-, and 15-year-old adolescents participating in the Health Behavior in School-aged Children study in Denmark, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the United States, and Wales (total N = 53,218).

RESULTS

Both first- and second-generation immigrant adolescents reported higher levels of physical fighting and bullying and a lower life satisfaction than native adolescents, whereas second-generation immigrant adolescents reported more psychosomatic symptoms than native adolescents. Effect sizes varied considerable for the different outcomes, and similar effects were found for first- and second-generation immigrant adolescents. Differences in these indicators of emotional and behavioral problems between immigrant and native adolescents did not vary significantly with the receiving country. With two exceptions, effects of immigrant status were similar for boys and girls. Although no differences in psychosomatic symptoms were found between first-generation immigrant and native girls, first-generation immigrant boys reported less psychosomatic symptoms than native boys. Furthermore, both second-generation immigrant boys and girls reported higher levels of physical fighting than their native peers, but differences were more pronounced for boys than for girls.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the results of this study support a risk perspective on the impact of immigration on adolescent problem behaviors.

Parental, peer and school experiences as predictors of alcohol drinking among first and second generation immigrant adolescents in Israel

BACKGROUND

Ecological perspectives stress the importance of environmental predictors of adolescent alcohol use, yet little research has examined such predictors among immigrant adolescents. This study examines parental, peer and school predictors of alcohol drinking (casual drinking, binge drinking and drunkenness) among Israeli-born adolescents and first and second generation adolescent immigrants from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) and Ethiopia in Israel.

METHODS

The study uses data from the 2010 to 2011 Israeli Health Behaviors of School age Children (HBSC) survey and includes a representative sample of 3059 adolescents, aged 11-17. Differences between the groups for drinking were examined using Pearson's chi square. Logistic regression models were used to examine group specific predictors of drinking.

RESULTS

First generation FSU and both Ethiopian groups reported higher levels of binge drinking and drunkenness than Israeli-born adolescents. All immigrant groups reported lower levels of parental monitoring than native born adolescents; both first generation groups reported difficulties talking to parents; and first generation FSU and second generation Ethiopian adolescents reported greater time with friends. Group specific logistic regression models suggest that while parent, peer and school variables all predicted alcohol use among Israeli adolescents, only time spent with peers consistently predicted immigrant alcohol use.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings highlight specific vulnerability of first generation FSU and second generation Ethiopian adolescents to high levels of drinking and the salience of time spent with peers as predicting immigrant adolescent drinking patterns. They suggest that drinking patterns must be understood in relation to country of origin and immigration experience of a particular group.