Immigration: Health and Mortality

Over the past 50 years, the immigrant population in the United States and many other high-income countries grew rapidly and became increasingly diverse. Consequently, the study of immigrant health and mortality has become an important area of social science and epidemiological research. Immigrants tend to be healthy at time of arrival, but favorable health profiles tend to erode with increased duration in host countries and continue to deteriorate in the second generation. There is, however, considerable heterogeneity in these overall patterns.