Genetic Influences on Immigrant Health in Midlife and Older Age
Co-funded with the JPB Foundation
The "immigrant health paradox" reflects the fact that recent immigrants often have better health outcomes and lower mortality than the native-born, especially soon after arrival, once socioeconomic differences are taken into account. However, findings on other health outcomes are mixed and are contingent on specific health measures, age, race/ethnicity, country of origin and number of years since migration. What individual, social and environmental factors explain immigrants’ health outcomes. Sociologist Zoya Gubernskaya, in consultation with Dalton Conley (Princeton University), will examine the extent to which selection of immigrants on some genetic bases accounts, in part, for their observed health advantages (or disadvantages) compared to natives.