Contextual factors and immigrants' health status: double jeopardy

Health Place. 2008 Dec;14(4):678-92. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2007.10.012. Epub 2007 Oct 30.

Abstract

Poor health among immigrants may be accounted for not only by socio-economic factors affecting individuals but also by the environment in which they live. We investigated the association of contextual factors with disparities in self-rated health between native and immigrant groups. The findings indicated that, compared with native-born Belgians, immigrant groups from Turkey and Morocco were more likely to have poorer self-rated health. When contextual factors and individual socio-economic status were allowed for, all immigrant groups had a health status that was similar to or even better than that of native-born Belgians. Immigrants face a double jeopardy at both the individual and the contextual level.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Belgium
  • Emigrants and Immigrants*
  • Health Status Disparities*
  • Health Surveys
  • Humans
  • Morocco / ethnology
  • Residence Characteristics
  • Social Class
  • Turkey / ethnology