Mexican migration to the USA is a phenomenon that affects a significant number of Mexican households. In the area of health, considerable research has been devoted to international migrants, but less is known about the health impacts of migration on other household members, particularly the wives of migrants. I used data from the Mexican Migration Project to investigate the health impacts of having a migrant husband. As part of my analysis I explored the relationship between the husbands' migration and several health conditions and behaviours among the wives. In contrast to existing research on the subject, I also considered whether the amount of time the husband spent in the US mediates the relationship between migration and health. Finally, I addressed the possibility that the wives of migrants differ in their initial health endowments from the wives of non-migrants. I found that despite having similar initial health endowments, the wives of migrants have poorer mental health, a higher prevalence of heart disease, and they are more likely to be obese or overweight than the wives of non-migrants. © 2012 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

Mexico wife/spouse health impacts international migration

mental health human obesity priority journal health status Mexico Mental Disorders United States Humans health impact assessment female socioeconomics heart disease Heart Diseases prevalence Article women's health adult migration Transients and Migrants