Tijdschrift voor Gerontologie en Geriatrie
Volume 49, Issue 6, 2018, Pages 232-243

Healthy life expectancy of older migrants and non-migrants in three European countries over time [Gezonde levensverwachting op oudere leeftijd: een vergelijking van migranten en niet-migranten in drie Europese landen over tijd] (Article)

Janssen F. , Kibele E. , Reus Pons M. , Vandenheede H. , de Valk H.A.G.*
  • a Population Research Centre, Faculteit Ruimtelijke Wetenschappen, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands, Interdisciplinair Demografisch Instituut/KNAW/Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Den Haag, Netherlands
  • b Statistisches Landesamt Bremen, Bremen, Germany
  • c Population Research Centre, Faculteit Ruimtelijke Wetenschappen, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
  • d Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussel, Belarus
  • e Interdisciplinair Demografisch Instituut/KNAW/Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Den Haag, Netherlands

Abstract

We analysed differences in healthy life expectancy at age 50 (HLE 50 ) between migrants and non-migrants in Belgium, the Netherlands, and England and Wales, and their trends over time between 2001 and 2011 in the latter two countries. Population, mortality and health data were derived from registers, census or surveys. HLE 50 was calculated for non-migrants, western and non-western migrants by sex. We applied decomposition techniques to determine whether differences in HLE 50 between origin groups and changes in HLE 50 over time were attributable to either differences in mortality or health. The results show that in all three countries and among both sexes, older migrants, in particular those from non-western origin, could expect to live fewer years in good health than older non-migrants, mainly because of differences in self-rated health. Differences in HLE 50 between migrants and non-migrants diminished over time in the Netherlands, but they increased in England and Wales. Improvements in HLE 50 over time were mainly attributable to mortality decline. Interventions aimed at reducing the health and mortality inequalities between older migrants and non-migrants should focus on prevention, and target especially non-western migrants. © 2018, Vilans.

Author Keywords

Migrants Elderly Europe Health Mortality

Index Keywords

Netherlands human middle aged statistics and numerical data controlled study comparative study health status Aged Humans migrant Wales male life expectancy England female decomposition Belgium Article migration Transients and Migrants mortality
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85057957975&doi=10.1007%2fs12439-018-0267-3&partnerID=40&md5=3dd539f9805e46fc04440ee2dcdb366e
DOI: 10.1007/s12439-018-0267-3
ISSN: 01679228
Original Language: Dutch