Demography
Volume 52, Issue 6, 2015, Pages 1853-1868

Return Migration to Mexico: Does Health Matter? (Article)

Arenas E. , Goldman N.* , Pebley A.R. , Teruel G.
  • a California Center for Population Research, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States, Centro de Análisis y Medición del Bienestar Social, AC, México, DF, Mexico
  • b Office of Population Research, Princeton University, 243 Wallace Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544, United States
  • c California Center for Population Research and Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
  • d Universidad Iberoamericana, AC, México, DF, Mexico

Abstract

We use data from three rounds of the Mexican Family Life Survey to examine whether migrants in the United States returning to Mexico in the period 2005–2012 have worse health than those remaining in the United States. Despite extensive interest by demographers in health-related selection, this has been a neglected area of study in the literature on U.S.-Mexico migration, and the few results to date have been contradictory and inconclusive. Using five self-reported health variables collected while migrants resided in the United States and subsequent migration history, we find direct evidence of higher probabilities of return migration for Mexican migrants in poor health as well as lower probabilities of return for migrants with improving health. These findings are robust to the inclusion of potential confounders reflecting the migrants’ demographic characteristics, economic situation, family ties, and origin and destination characteristics. We anticipate that in the coming decade, health may become an even more salient issue in migrants’ decisions about returning to Mexico, given the recent expansion in access to health insurance in Mexico. © 2015, Population Association of America.

Author Keywords

return migration Selection Mexico Health-related emigration Salmon bias

Index Keywords

male female health status Aged Emigration and Immigration Logistic Models statistical model questionnaire ethnology Mexico Mexican American migration middle aged Surveys and Questionnaires human Humans Mexican Americans United States
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84947127730&doi=10.1007%2fs13524-015-0429-7&partnerID=40&md5=9610abc55aaa532badf675324229da96
DOI: 10.1007/s13524-015-0429-7
ISSN: 00703370
Cited by: 29
Original Language: English