Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 12, Issue 1, 2010, Pages 33-42

Differential Mortality Patterns between Nicaraguan Immigrants and Native-born Residents of Costa Rica (Article)

Herring A.A. , Bonilla-Carrión R.E. , Borland R.M. , Hill K.H.
  • a Harvard Medical School, 1493 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States, International Organization for Migration, San Jose, Costa Rica
  • b Central American Population Center, University of Costa Rica, San Jose, Costa Rica
  • c International Organization for Migration, San Jose, Costa Rica
  • d Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States

Abstract

Background This study describes the all-cause and cause-specific mortality of Nicaraguan-born and native-born inhabitants of Costa Rica and examines the influence of socioeconomic and demographic factors on differential mortality risks. Methods We analyzed Costa Rican vital records for the years 1996-2005 with negative binomial regression models to determine the relative mortality risks of Nicaraguan immigrants versus Costa Rican natives with adjustments for age, urbanization, unemployment, poverty, education, and residential segregation. Results Nicaraguan-born men and women had reduced mortality risks of 32% and 34% relative to their Costa Rican-born counterparts. Excess homicide mortality was found among Nicaraguan-born men [rate ratio (RR) = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.19-1.53] and women (RR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.02-1.95). Discussion The Nicaraguan-born population had a reduced all-cause mortality risk versus Costa Rican-born people over the years 1996-2005, due to markedly lower disease mortality. Homicide is a major source of excess mortality among Nicaraguan-born immigrants versus Costa Rican natives. © 2008 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Author Keywords

Costa Rica/epidemiology Nicaragua/epidemiology migrant Emigration and immigration Mortality

Index Keywords

Nicaragua human middle aged comparative study Databases, Factual factual database ethnology Young Adult Costa Rica Humans Adolescent Infant, Newborn male preschool child Socioeconomic Factors Infant Child, Preschool newborn female socioeconomics Article adult migration Transients and Migrants cause of death mortality Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-77649232813&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-008-9121-y&partnerID=40&md5=96a3346218a40795b4b22d44199bd795
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-008-9121-y
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 5
Original Language: English