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While there are many individual studies on migration and fertility in sub-Saharan Africa, the systematic interaction between them have been less studied at the national level. Since fertility and migration are generally thought to be affected by similar factors, understanding their interconnectedness may provide insights into analyzing fertility response to social and economic change. Using merged data from the 1994 and 1998 Demographic and Health Surveys for Ghana, this paper examines the impact of migration on fertility. Guided by the adaptation, selectivity and disruption theses, the results reveal considerable migrant differences in fertility. In general, migrants moving from urban to rural areas were found to have fertility similar to rural residents while those from rural to urban areas tended to have fertility similar to urban natives. There was also evidence that recent migrants, regardless of stream, had lower fertility than their long term counterparts. These findings are discussed within the adaptation, selectivity and disruption theses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This paper focuses upon health status, need for care, and use of health care from 1994/95 to 2000/01 in the Canadian foreign-born population. Methods: Using Statistics Canada's longitudinal National Population Health Survey, descriptive and survival analyses are used to explore immigrant health status and health care. Results: The health status of immigrants quickly declines after arrival, with a concomitant increase in use of health care services. However, survival analysis of the risk of a change to poor health indicates no difference between immigrants and the native-born. Similarly, there is no difference in the risk of hospital use between the two populations. Conclusions: The health status of recent immigrant arrivals is observed to decline towards that of the native-born population, while health care utilization increases. However, increased use may not be sufficient to offset declines in health, meaning that need for health care within the immigrant population may be unmet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The paper reviews current knowledge on the health of Canadian immigrants, examines evidence, and identifies research gaps. The information presented is derived from two recent literature reviews. Most literature suggests that Canadian immigrants, particularly recent arrivals, enjoy health advantages over long-term immigrants and the Canadian-born population in terms of overall health status and the prevalence of certain chronic diseases. Immigrants with infectious diseases may experience improvements in health over time. Patterns of immigrant mental health are less clear. More research is needed on specific health problems, how to address determinants of health, and the types of programs and services necessary to maintain immigrants in good health over time. Steps must be taken to strengthen existing databases and develop new ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diversions occur when research disregards the inequality-generating actions of advantaged groups and instead focuses attention on the actions and behaviors of disadvantaged groups. We incorporate important insights from COVID-19 to illustrate historical and contemporary examples of diversions. This paper highlights US immigrant health inequities—a burgeoning subfield within the broader health inequalities canon—to explore: (1) if and how diversions appear in immigrant health studies; (2) how often white supremacy and intersectionality are explicitly named in grants, publicly available datasets, and published research. The data derive from: NIH R01 grants (17), publicly available datasets that focus on immigrant health (7), and research published in three health journals (14). Using a qualitative content analysis approach, we analyzed these data as evidence concerning the knowledge production cycle, and investigate whether: (a) the role of advantaged groups in generating inequalities is explicitly mentioned; (b) disadvantaged groups are asked about discriminatory actions perpetuated by advantaged groups; (c) health inequalities are placed on the conditions of disadvantaged groups; (d) if white supremacy and intersectionality are explicitly mentioned in grants, publicly available datasets, and research articles. The findings demonstrate the prevalence of diversions in immigrant health research, given an overemphasis on health behaviors and cultural explanations towards explaining immigrant health inequities. There was no mention of white supremacy across the knowledge production cycle. Intersectionality was mentioned once in a research article. We argue that understanding white supremacy's role in the knowledge production cycle illuminates how diversions occur and prevail. We provide suggestions on moving away from diversionary research, toward adopting an intersectional approach of the study of immigrant health inequities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

System-involvement resulting from anti-trafficking interventions and the criminalization of sex work and migration results in negative health impacts on sex workers, migrants, and people with trafficking experiences. Due to their stigmatized status, sex workers and people with trafficking experiences often struggle to access affordable, unbiased, and supportive health care. This paper will use thematic analysis of qualitative data from in-depth interviews and ethnographic fieldwork with 50 migrant sex workers and trafficked persons, as well as 20 key informants from legal and social services, in New York and Los Angeles. It will highlight the work of trans-specific and sex worker–led initiatives that are internally addressing gaps in health care and the negative health consequences that result from sexual humanitarian anti-trafficking interventions that include policing, arrest, court-involvement, court-mandated social services, incarceration, and immigration detention. Our analysis focuses on the impact of criminalization on sex workers and their experiences with sexual humanitarian efforts intended to protect and control them. We argue that these grassroots community-based efforts are a survival-oriented reaction to the harms of criminalization and a response to vulnerabilities left unattended by mainstream sexual humanitarian approaches to protection and service provision that frame sex work itself as the problem. Peer-to-peer interventions such as these create solidarity and resiliency within marginalized communities, which act as protective buffers against institutionalized systemic violence and the resulting negative health outcomes. Our results suggest that broader public health support and funding for community-led health initiatives are needed to reduce barriers to health care resulting from stigma, criminalization, and ineffective anti-trafficking and humanitarian efforts. We conclude that the decriminalization of sex work and the reform of institutional practices in the US are urgently needed to reduce the overall negative health outcomes of system-involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immigrants to the United States are usually healthier than their U.S.-born counterparts, yet the health of immigrants declines with duration of stay in the U.S. This pattern is often seen for numerous health problems such as obesity, and is usually attributed to acculturation (the adoption of "American" behaviors and norms). However, an alternative explanation is secular trends, given that rates of obesity have been rising globally. Few studies of immigrants are designed to distinguish the effects of acculturation versus secular trends, in part because most studies of immigrants are cross-sectional, lack baseline data prior to migration, and do not have a comparison group of non-migrants in the country of origin. This paper describes the Health of Philippine Emigrants Study (HoPES), a study designed to address many of these limitations.Methods: HoPES is a dual-cohort, longitudinal, transnational study. The first cohort consisted of Filipinos migrating to the United States (n = 832). The second cohort consisted of non-migrant Filipinos who planned to remain in the Philippines (n = 805). Baseline data were collected from both cohorts in 2017 in the Philippines, with follow-up data collection planned over 3 years in either the U.S. for the migrant cohort or the Philippines for the non-migrant cohort. At baseline, interviewers administered semi-structured questionnaires that assessed demographic characteristics, diet, physical activity, stress, and immigration experiences. Interviewers also measured weight, height, waist and hip circumferences, blood pressure, and collected dried blood spot samples.Discussion: Migrants enrolled in the study appear to be representative of recent Filipino migrants to the U.S. Additionally, migrant and non-migrant study participants are comparable on several characteristics that we attempted to balance at baseline, including age, gender, and education. HoPES is a unique study that approximates a natural experiment from which to study the effects of immigration on obesity and other health problems. A number of innovative methodological strategies were pursued to expand the boundaries of current immigrant health research. Key to accomplishing this research was investment in building collaborative relationships with stakeholders across the U.S. and the Philippines with shared interest in the health of migrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is the perception of Turkish migrants in elderly care? The increasing number of elder migrants within the German and Austrian population is causing the challenge of including them in an adequate (culturally sensitive) way into the German/Austrian health care system. Here I introduce the perception of elder Turkish migrants within the predominant paradigm of intercultural opening of health care in Germany as well as within the concept of diversity management of health care in Vienna (Austria). The qualitative investigation follows a field research in different German and Austrian cities within the last four years and an analysis based on the Grounded Theory Methodology. The meaning of intercultural opening on the one hand, and diversity management on the other hand with respect to elderly care will be evaluated. Whereas the intercultural opening directly demands a reduction of barriers to access institutional elderly care the concept of diversity is hardly successful in the inclusion of migrants into elderly care assistance - concerning both, migrants as care-givers and migrants as care-receivers. Despite the similarities between the health care systems of Germany and Austria there are decisive differences in the perception and inclusion of migrants in elderly care that is largely based on an 'individual care' concept of the responsible institutions. Finally, this investigation demonstrates how elderly care in Germany and Austria prepares to encounter the demand of 'individual care' in a diverse society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The increase of immigrants in Canada has set an example for Western countries on how cultural diversity affects health, mental health, and needs. The mental health of elderly immigrants, however, is often forgotten in service delivery system. Objectives: This paper examines the socio-cultural determinants of mental health of elderly immigrants in Canada through synthesizing research findings from various studies. The presentation aims to highlight a few key intervention focuses for addressing mental health of this vulnerable immigrant subgroup. Methods: Secondary data analysis was used, using three national surveys and a local community survey, including the Ethnic Diversity Survey, the General Social Survey, the Health and Well Being of Older Chinese in Canada, and the Health and Well Being of Older South Asian in Calgary. Mental health was presented by life satisfaction, self-reported stress, self-reported happiness, self-reported level of trust, sense of belonging, feeling out of place, worrying about hate crime, depressive symptoms, and general mental health measured by SF-36. Results: Socio-cultural determinants related to a higher level of social support, a higher level of trust, and better financial resources were found to be correlates of more positive mental health. Racial discrimination, culture related beliefs, and barriers often led to negative mental health outcomes. Conclusions: Promoting a better mental health should expand beyond the use of individual interventions and treatments. Socio-cultural determinants have to be addressed through creating a more positive social and structural environment for the elderly immigrants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduces articles based on paper presented during the National Symposium on Immigrant Health in Canada, published in the May-June 2004 issue of the "Canadian Journal of Public Health."