The study of the health of older immigrants presented here is based on the data from a survey on retirement and immigrants (Passage à la retraite des immigrés - PRI) conducted by Caisse Nationale d'Assurance Vieillesse, the national pension organisation, with assistance from the French national statistics institute (INSEE) in 2002-2003. The survey covers a sample of 6,211 individuals representative of immigrants aged 45 to 70 and residing in France in 2003. The respondents' health is evaluated by using two indicators: one relates to general state of health and is assessed by the respondents themselves on a qualitative scale ranging from "very good" to "very bad" and the other measures prevalence of physical health problems - disabilities and illnesses - that cause difficulties in daily life. The paper has a twofold objective. The determinants of the respondents' health are analysed to ascertain the possible role of factors specific to migration, particularly duration of residence in France and region of origin. The needs assessed on the basis of state of health are then compared with assistance received from family and professional services. The results show a wide variety of situations. While, on the whole, a comparison with the total population indicates that immigrants are in a worse state of health, this is mainly due to the effect of work on the health of both men and women. Workplace accidents, occupational diseases and exhaustion primarily affect manual workers and women employed in home-care services. The decisive impact of level of education and standard of living on health, well established in research on health, is confirmed here and accounts for most of the variability observed. Country of origin still has a slight influence. After factoring out socio-economic factors, nationals from northern Europe and sub-Saharan Africa (men more than women) are in better health, both objectively and subjectively. Bigger differences show up in subjective health, however. A comparison of the results obtained using objective and subjective indicators highlights major intercultural variations in the way respondents' assess their state of health. The results of this survey do not support the idea that on average immigrants make less use of or have less access to medical care, except perhaps for more limited consultation of specialist doctors. Regarding the assistance they receive to cope with difficulties in daily life generated by health problems, it appears that very close relatives, i.e. spouse or children, mainly provide it. © La Documentation française. Tous droits réservés pour tous pays.

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