Do Asian Immigrants Have Better Mental Health? An Examination of Arrival Cohort and Gender in Australia

Abstract

This study examines how arrival cohort and duration of time in Australia affect the long-term mental health trajectories of Asian immigrants relative to native-born individuals in Australia. We also examine how these relationships differ by gender. Using nationally representative panel data from The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey for 2002–2018, we find limited evidence that Asian immigrants experience declining mental health over time in Australia. Rather, we find that arrival cohort is an important predictor of long-term mental health, specifically for Asian immigrant women and recent cohorts of immigrants. By tracking mental health trajectories over time in Australia, we find variation between Asian immigrants and native-born individuals and by gender. We find that the majority of Asian immigrants in Australia report increases in their mental health over time in Australia. We also find within- and between-gender differences in mental health trajectories. Our study illustrates the importance of longitudinal data and reference categories for understanding immigrants’ health in their host countries. The findings have implications for immigration policy and its role in shaping immigrant composition and immigrants’ mental health over time in the host country.