Economic Conditions in Countries of Origin and Trajectories in Distress after Migration to Canada

Abstract

This paper re-examines the study of immigrant mental health by arguing that the level of economic development of origin country alters both initial mental health status and subsequent trajectories of distress over time. Using five waves of longitudinal survey data from the National Population Health Survey of adults living in three metropolitan cities in Canada ( N = 2,887), results show an increase in distress with time, but mainly among immigrants from lower gross national product (GNP) origin countries and only for the first 5 years postarrival, followed by a decline among all immigrants, irrespective of origin-country GNP. Increases in chronic stress exposure fully explain the initial increase in distress among immigrants from less developed countries of origin. Results call into question the generalizability of the “immigrant health paradox” to all immigrant groups and point to the importance of macro-level social and economic factors, and the matching of conditions at origin and destination, in the migration process.