Health trajectories of immigrants in the United States: Does income inequality of country of origin matter?

Abstract

This study aims to investigate whether and to what extent income inequality of country of origin modifies the health trajectories of immigrants to the United States (U.S.). Much previous research has found a negative association between income inequality and health across nations. A separate, large literature shows that characteristics of immigrants' countries of origin affect their health status after migration. However, there is no evidence about whether income inequality of countries of origin affects postmigration health trajectories. Merging individual data from the Current Population's Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC CPS) (2013) with macro-level data, I find that income inequality exerts a statistically significant negative effect on immigrants' health trajectories. While immigrants arriving from countries with greater income inequality tend to be healthier than immigrants arriving from countries that are more egalitarian, their health tends to decline at a faster rate over time. The results are consistent with at least two mechanisms. Immigrants from higher-inequality countries may arrive in the U.S. with fewer transferable skills and take up low-paid jobs, with negative consequences for their long-term health. Alternatively, the harmful consequences of early exposure to high-income inequality in home countries before immigration may persist over the life course, damaging individuals' health even after they have left their home nations.